Harry Potter & the New Threat
by Grominator
Summary: Six years after Lord Voldemort's defeat, a new opponent arises to threaten all worlds. The future of Hogwarts will be changed forever. Featuring Harry Potter, Negima!, InuYasha and more. Now featuring Bleach!
1. Prologue: Meeting of Fate With Fate

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to any material from Harry Potter, InuYasha or Negima! I merely wish to use characters and other elements of the creators' brilliant and expertly established work to create a grand story of my own creative design.

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Harry Potter and the New Threat

by:

David "Grominator" G.

Key:

" … " – speech

_Italics_ – thoughts

Enjoy! **Updated: 2/1/13**

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Meeting of Fate … With Fate

It was mid-late August. The summer of 2004 was nearly over, and less than a day had passed since Fate Averruncus had returned to the human world. His loyal subordinates and partners, as well as his fellow "Fate" incarnations were now scattered across the globe and he was all on his own. Normally, he always put on a calm, stoic exterior, and today was no different, but inside a burning rage was brewing. His mission to destroy the Magic World had failed. "I can't believe I was foiled yet again by the Springfield Clan," he said to himself as he wandered the streets of a freshly destroyed city, having killed everyone simply out of frustration. He was surrounded by ruins and rubble on all sides. They had not been wizards or mages at all; just innocent people, but he didn't care. He needed to vent his aggressions on someone; and to make matters even worse, he hadn't had a single cup of coffee all day, and he was used to always drinking seven cups a day. This really pissed him off. Normally, he would've been on his sixth or seventh cup by now.

Less than a week ago, Fate had been defeated by Negi Springfield, son of his 20+-year enemy, Nagi Springfield, the Thousand Master. He had succeeded in destroying all 11 gateports in the Magic World, an alternate plane of existence established on the planet Mars, secured the only remaining gateport that had a chance of working, kidnapped the Twilight Imperial Princess and had came so close to completing the "ritual to return the world to nothingness," but Negi had somehow found a way to rescue the captives, defeat Fate in battle and reverse all the progress he had worked so hard to achieve. He had been beaten soundly, and beneath his passive face, a deep hatred for the Springfield Clan had begun to burn. Intent on finding his missing partners, the boy turned away, preparing to take flight when he suddenly stopped, having sensed a strange aura nearby. "Who are you, and what business do you have with me?" he called, without turning. A huge pillar of black stone began to materialize beside him. If this was an enemy, he would not be caught off-guard.

"Your intuition is impressive, Fate Averruncus, or should I say, 'Tertium,'" came a voice with a light chuckle. "My name is Naraku, and I would like to propose a partnership between you and me. I assure you it will be mutually beneficial."

After a short pause, the young magi turned to see a silhouette resembling a white baboon with a blue face, no eyes and only the upper part of its jaw materializing before him. "What exactly do you have in mind, Naraku, and how do you know who I am?" he asked.

"In case you don't already know, young Negi Springfield has already used the very same 'old abandoned gate' to return to the normal world," Naraku calmly replied, much to the surprise of the stoic sorcerer, although none showed on his expressionless face.

"I didn't realize that you knew of that boy."

"Feh. I have eyes in places you can only imagine, my boy. It was worth no effort at all to send my saimyosho into this world and spy on you boys," was Naraku's answer.

"Saimyosho?" Fate said in a confused tone.

"Simply put: the insects of Hell. I can see whatever they see, so it is simple to learn all kinds of information." As Naraku spoke, a swarm of large wasp-like insects appeared around Naraku's body. "More to the point, I can help you find and destroy the son of the famous 'Thousand Master.' Coincidentally, I happen to know that Negi, as well as the man whose life I seek, will soon be sent to the prestigious magic school known as 'Hogwarts.'"

"I do not seek Negi Springfield's life. He and I simply keep ending up on the wrong sides. Besides, he is of no threat to me. After all, that juvenile Brit's power is incomplete," Fate responded through loosely gritted teeth, quickly becoming annoyed by what the strange being was saying. "Besides, he's the only one who can keep me entertained."

The boy was about to leave when Naraku appeared in front of him and whispered fiercely, "And yours ISN'T? What if I told you that if he and the Hogwarts witches and wizards were to band together, their power would far surpass your own? After all, there is no such thing as 'complete power.' One's power can never truly stop increasing. If you let things continue as they are, it will be a repeat performance of 20 years ago, when the Thousand Master had you right where he wanted you, or worse. Do you really want to end up like Primum and Secundum? Besides, I know you're lying about not seeking the young Prince's life. You've despised him ever since he and his group of teenage girls stopped you from carrying out your plans."

This proclamation brought a twinge of frustration to the young mage's face, but no matter how angry he was, his eyes remained untouched. "No one can match my power, no matter how strong they are," he returned the demon's proclamation in a passive voice, but with a very faint hint of restraint. "I am much stronger than my predecessors were. Even the Thousand Master couldn't destroy me 10 years ago, and he was invincible." _And how does he know about my predecessors?_

"Awfully confident aren't you? Well, what if I told that it is possible for you to increase your powers 100-fold? If you help me, I shall give you half of the sacred Shikon jewel shards that I possess. This jewel can boost one's natural powers exponentially when used properly. With your new powers, you really would be invincible," Naraku said in an ever-so-calm voice, holding out a nearly completed black jewel. "Let me cut to the chase, if Negi Springfield and Harry Potter, Hogwarts' greatest champion, were to join forces with the staff and students of Hogwarts, you just might meet your end. Therefore, I suggest that we team up to destroy all potential threats within the magic world before they become aware of our existence. You do wish to 'save the world,' don't you? Oh, and by the way, my sources tell me a certain High Daylight Walker will be present as well. Don't you want revenge for your humiliating defeat at her hands back in Kyoto? There is also said to be someone connected to your past at Hogwarts. Ring any bells? If you don't take me up on this, unlike 10 years ago, you will not survive this time."

_He makes a valid point. I have heard of a Harry Potter, one who killed that foolish weakling, Voldemort six years ago. Being from Hogwarts, thought, he can't be very strong anyway, but if they team up ... I guess it couldn't hurt to take him up on his offer. My power has indeed grown exponentially since the battle in Kyoto, although I have my doubts as per his claims about taking my power to such new heights. Besides, Negi foiled my plans in the Magical World, and I owe him a great deal. I may have failed my first mission, but now I must succeed. And that "someone connected to my past" doesn't make me feel any better about my chances if I let things be as they are._ "All right, then. I'll join you, Naraku, but I expect you to do your part here. Remember, you approached me, so that means you need me more than I need you," Fate decided after a long pause.

Naraku was about to speak up when a spear made of solid stone appeared right in front of his face, as though his barrier didn't even exist. "And never call me 'Tertium' again, or else I will kill you," Fate said with authority. "I prefer my other name, if you catch my drift."

_Smart boy_. "Agreed. Now, let us begin our search. We'll destroy every magic school we come across until we find Hogwarts, but who says it needs to stop there," Naraku decided with a hint of malice in his usual stoic voice, and they lifted off the ground, Fate using a levitation spell and Naraku reducing himself to a cloud of miasma, and set off in search of the nearest magic settlement.

Unbeknownst to Naraku, Fate grinned. _Young Negi will soon fall to the Code of the Lifemaker._ Then he looked at the menacing cloud of noxious gas following him. _And you too, Naraku, if you cross me_.

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A/N: I've been writing this story for two years. Thank you for reading. Although this is my first fic, people tell me I have a natural talent. I've tried to make everything as true to the source material as possible. Please tell me what you think. As good as this work already is, I need to be challenged to do better. Thanks again for reading. Hope you would be so kind to take a moment to tell me what you think of what I've got … maybe tell me something you might want to see (or a scenario that can attract more readers) … I'll see what I can do. I want to satisfy as many people as I can with my writing.

Next update coming: Midnight New Year's Eve


	2. Chapter 1: Threat Revealed

Happy New Year, everyone! First off, I would like to thank all my readers. However, I'm still a little low on the review front, so I guess I forgot to mention that anonymous reviews are not only welcome, but much appreciated. Don't want to give your name? I don't mind a bit. All I want or have wanted is to know what everyone thinks.

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Disclaimer: I do not own rights to Harry Potter, Negima!, or InuYasha. **Edited: 2/1/13**

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Threat Revealed

It was early morning, one week before start of the new trimester at Mahora Academy. Ten-year-old professor Negi Springfield made his way to the dean's office for his new class assignment. _It sure was a lucky break to use that Old Ostia gateport and get back to Wales. But what surprises me is that no time passed in this world while we were there for a few months. It was actually a good thing that Fate Averruncus was so thorough as to sever the time bonds between the worlds so that we didn't miss the start of the new semester. It was as though we were never away at all._ As much as Negi had been concerned about his students who had been trapped in the Magic World with him, he had been just as worried about his job as a teacher. When he'd arrive at Mahora, he had been afraid to teach, but now there wasn't a single place he'd rather be than with his precious students. _Still, I'm a little disturbed that the rest of the girls weren't with my sister when we got back. All Nekane told me was that they "went back a long time ago" and wouldn't say anything else_.

He had been through quite the ordeal in the Magic World. Not only did he find out more about his family heritage, but he also found out that he, Negi Springfield, the son of the Wizarding World's greatest hero, was also the long-lost Prince from the Home World. Not only that, but he'd saved the world from destruction, just as his father had many years ago.

When he reached the office door, he heard the voices of Dean Konoemon Konoe and Negi's predecessor as teacher of class 3–A, Takamichi T. Takahata, conversing in serious tones. Bewildered, Negi paused at the door. "My goodness. What could they be talking about?" Negi wondered out loud, as he pushed open the door. _I hope it isn't about the incident with the Governor General._

"Ah, Negi. Welcome back!" The former English professor greeted Negi with a warm smile. "We were just talking about you. It's amazing isn't it?"

"Well, I hope it wasn't anything that b– … Wait a minute!" exclaimed Negi with a distraught look on his face. "What do you mean? And what's amazing?"

Takamichi only laughed. "Oh, come on. Have you forgotten already that I was there?" In addition, Takamichi had been sent to the Home World after Negi as part of a two-person backup squad, should they have been needed, which they were, and it's a good thing they stepped in when they did, or Negi might not have returned alive. "You used the trip to Wales as an opportunity to enter the Magic World and find out more about your father, Nagi and ended up getting caught in a war much like your father before you. Remember, I was there with you when you were facing of with Kurt and when the enemy attacked the palace. I was also there when the Mage of the Beginning was turning you into his punching bag."

Reluctantly, Negi nodded and said, "Once again, Takamichi, you make it easy to make me feel silly." He didn't dare tell his old friend what he had learned about his father during that final battle. "And if it hadn't been for Rakan teaching me what he did, I'd have died long before getting to that battle."

This didn't surprise Takamichi. "Teaching you Magia Erebea with that scroll he won from Eva certainly sounds like him. Trust the Home World's Biggest Idiot to teach his best friend's son something that could kill him rather than make him stronger." Magia Erebea was a devilish demonic art that allows the user to absorb offensive magic into his or her own body as a means to great power. The more powerful the spell, the more power is produced, but there is a catch. The curse eats away at the user's body and soul, and if the encroachment reached the critical point, the person would lose their sense of self and become nothing more than a monster, which will only kill indiscriminately until it is destroyed. Only if the user is able to defeat the monster within can he truly attain the ultimate power, as Evangeline had.

Negi put his hand behind his head in embarrassment. He was about to speak again when Dean Konoe cut him off.

"Listen, Negi. That curse is very dangerous and carries with it many risks. Under no circumstances are you to use it. Of course, knowing who you are, I realize it would be pointless to say this. It's your go-to spell now." The Dean knew what he was talking about. When Jack Rakan had demonstrated it for Negi, he was ill-suited to the curse, so he blew himself up with a great big "KABLOOEY!" That was actually what he said the instant he blew up. It had been non-fatal of course, but it had given Negi quite the scare. "Now then, to the point. We've been discussing your future. To put it blunt: Negi, you have been reassigned," the Dean stated at once.

"WHAT?" Negi cried, tears beginning to well up in his eyes. "REASSIGNED? BUT WHY?"

"I could bead around the bush, Negi, but I'll cut to the chase, and it is this: you, Takamichi, and half of your class were gone for a whole year!"

Negi's heart skipped several beats. For several moments, he just stood there, transfixed.

"W-w-w-w-what?" he stammered, refusing to believe what he had just heard. "O-o-o-o-o-one year? But how? Isn't this still August 20th, 2003?"

"No. It's August 20th, 2004," Takamichi said with a downcast expression and his arms folded, much to Negi's alarm. "You see, Negi, it is because the time bonds were destroyed in the Magic World that this happened in the first place. Plus, the Magic World is based on an alternate plane on Mars. The year there is much longer than the year here on Earth. You combine those two factors, you do the math and apparently three months there means one year here. I'm no Albert Einstein, but that's the best I can come up with. Anyway, didn't Nekane tell you?"

But Negi didn't answer. He was still absorbing the horrible truth. His class, his girls, to whom he had grown so close, had been through a whole year without him! He crouched down and buried his face in his knees. _NOOOOOO!_ he cried out in his mind, clutching his head tightly. _How could I have let this happen? I thought it was a good thing Fate destroyed the time bonds, but now things couldn't be worse! The girls who didn't come with us must hate me so! And those who did must be so confused! What am I going to do?_ But the Dean was already talking.

"Never mind how or why this happened. This is no time to be wallowing in your sorrows, Negi. There's much more pressing business to discuss. First of all, your reassignment. Although you were gone for a year and thus did not fulfill your duties as a teacher to the remainder of your students …" he started, but then he saw the tears in Negi's eyes, and decided not to continue with that thought. "It does not mean you are a failure as a teacher, my boy," he said softly, trying to console the boy. "There was a reason why you were chosen as Class 3–A's teacher, but now that these events have been set in motion, that purpose is null and void for the time being. I have received a request from the Dean of your Lutus Magorum for a new teacher at a magic school in Scotland known as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at that school has recently been killed in the Middle East."

"But why me? Why must I leave Mahora now, after I've grown so close to my students?" Negi asked, shocked and upset with the new development. He wasn't lying about being close to his students, as now nearly half of them had formed probationary contracts with him.

"Apparently, there has arisen a new threat to the magical community of the world, and you're the person that I've deemed most able to address it," the Dean concluded.

"A new threat? What is it? Who is it?" Negi wondered out-loud.

Dean Konoe turned towards the window, stroking his long white beard and said, "It's Fate Averruncus, whom you fought back in the home world. He has returned and is now destroying every magical school and community that he comes across. He started in the Middle East and is now working his way eastward. Nobody has been able to stop him. It is also unclear as to what or who he is searching for."

Negi did not look surprised. _So I guess the teacher was killed by him while on vacation or something._ "I figured he would do this. Ever since I defeated him in the Magic World, he must have had some vindictive feelings afterward, despite agreeing to my terms. I foiled his plans to destroy the Magical World, but I couldn't bring myself to finish him off, so now he must be taking out his frustrations on the human world." _Still, I find it impossible to believe that he would actually start killing, when he had never actually taken a life as far as I know. Something must have corrupted his personality, somehow._

"Well what's done is done and cannot be undone," the elderly headmaster said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Now we need to focus on what his plans are for the human world. He also seems to have help from an unknown entity. Among a fair number of the already destroyed magic schools, traces of clouds of toxic gases have been found, as well as hundreds upon hundreds of skeletons, both human and non-human, as though the flesh simply melted right off the bones."

"Toxic gases and skeletons?" Negi said with a start. "That's not like him. Normally, he just leaves his victims in petrified stone, but we could usually cure it afterwards. I've neither seen nor heard of him killing before."

Over the next hour, Negi was briefed on the conditions of the new position. He would leave for London in two days to meet with a representative from Hogwarts, along with a select number of his best students, as there was a serious need for powerful security, because it appeared as though Hogwarts would be the final target, based on the direction Fate was headed in. Negi would become the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, and would have one year at most to train everyone in Hogwarts, including the staff in the ways of Western Magic in preparation to deal with the newest threat to both the human and magic worlds. However, now Negi faced the hardest part of his day: choosing who was to go with him. If he chose one wrong person, Asuna would pound him!

As he left the office to meet with his remaining students, Negi stopped and gazed lazily out one of the large windows in the hall. "One year … and I never knew," he whispered slowly, letting out a long, heavy sigh. _I wonder what the others are doing now._

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Hope you enjoyed my New Year's chapter. Please don't forget to review. Formal or informal, any review at all is a good one to me. Any thoughts you may have would make me happy. Thank you for reading, and Happy New Year.

Next update: 4 days away, 3 if I can manage it (lot of editing to do)

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Next time on Harry Potter and the New Threat, Negi Springfield must break the news to his students about the new situation. How can they combat this new threat? If Fate couldn't be killed before, what happens now that Naraku is helpng him?


	3. Chapter 2: Class 3–A’s Final Meeting

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, Negima!, InuYasha … yada yada yada.

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A/N: Thanks for the generous review, and more importantly, for your patience. In the last several days, I managed to turn this chapter from short and sweet to detailed and dramatic. Enjoy this emotional final entry in Negi's Class 3–A diaries. **Updated: 2/1/13**

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Class 3–A's Final Meeting

As soon as Negi returned to his room in the dorm, he found Asuna still fast asleep. The second she got back from her newspaper delivery job, she would always plop down on her bed and sleep until noon. Today would've been no different, unless of course, Negi had something to say about it, which he did. He climbed up the ladder to the top of the bunk bed, softly tapped the snoozing girl on the head and whispered in her ear for her to wake up, only to be swatted in the face as the girl turned over in her sleep. The boy-teacher hit the floor with a loud crash, and Konoka, who was sleeping in the bottom bed, woke with a start.

"Oh my gosh! Negi, are you hurt?" she cried, scrambling out of bed and checking his head for bumps and bruises.

"Never mind, Konoka," Negi said, picking himself up. "Please go wake up Asuna and Setsuna while I contact the others. Then meet me in the 3–A classroom immediately. We need to have an important meeting. More happened during our trip than even I was aware of. The situation has become much more complicated," was all he could say before he rushed out the door. _There's no way I can allow anyone to come with me this time. We barely managed to escape with our lives the last time Fate and I met face to face._

When Negi walked into his classroom and pushed open the door, the girls had already taken their seats and they stood to attention as he walked up to his desk, as per Japanese school tradition. They bowed in respect and took their seats. When Negi reached his desk, he saw how the class size had shrunk. Now only roughly half the girls were still with him. The rest had already finished Middle School and graduated. And even though the new semester was yet to start, he had serious business to conduct, but he couldn't help feeling like one final lesson before he said goodbye.

"Well then, girls," Negi started with as big a smile as he could muster. "I know classes haven't started yet, but I wanted to spend a little more time with you all now that we're back home safe and sound." There was a small bit of murmuring, but no one dared speak up yet.

When he reached the right page in his big book of Shakespeare, Negi took a deep breath, cleared his throat, and began reading.

"'To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, creeps in this petty pace from day to day, to the last syllable of recorded time, and all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.'

"Now, who can tell us the meaning of this powerful quote?" he asked as he paced around the room, scanning his captive audience of students. "What does all of this refer to? Anyone?"

"Um, Professor?" A shaky hand rose. It belonged to Nodoka Miyazaki, a timid, purple-haired girl with brilliant blue eyes.

"Ah, yes. Nodoka, what do you think it means?" Negi said kindly.

"I-it means life is meaningless, and too short to have a purpose."

"That's right, very good, Nodoka. In this quote, Macbeth is reflecting on the death of his wife and the ruin of his own power, as well as how those things have resulted in his imminent undoing. In addition, he indirectly justifies the crimes he had committed up to that point, claiming that they too signify nothing.

"Now tell me, everyone. Do you agree with these words?"

"No. Not at all," Yue Ayase, the class' philosopher girl. Yue had suffered severe amnesia back in the Magic World, only having recently recovered her memories. The situation was very complicated, as it involved her involvement in the Ariane Knights, and it took a great deal of aggressive, yet peaceful negotiation on Negi's part to allow her to return to Earth with them. "As the philosopher Descartes said, 'I think, therefore I am.' Basically, it means that life is real, and anything that is real has a purpose and a meaning. It is _not_ just an illusion, as the concept of the 'walking shadow' implies."

Negi chuckled. "Once again, Yue, you are wise beyond your years. Yes, indeed. Life is seldom meaningless. While it is true that existing for the sake of itself does not carry much meaning on the surface, I, too, am a firm believer in the fact that everything exists for a reason. For instance, I know there was definitely a reason I ended up here with you girls at Mahora Academy. True, it seemed like a random assignment at the beginning, but the longer I was here, the more meaningful things got for me. Being here with you girls has helped me –"

_DING DONG!_

_Just when it was getting to the good part_, Negi thought sadly, as he walked back to his desk. _I wonder why the bell just rang. Could it be that Dean Konoe predicted this? Reminds me of another famous wizard I've heard of numerous times._ "All right then, ladies. I think that's enough. Besides, I have an announcement. A _very_ important one at that."

There was a brief silence, followed by an interruption from Chamo, Negi's ermine friend. "Come on, Negster! The longer you delay it, the more difficult it'll be for them to hear." There were several stomping noises, and a moment later, Asuna Kagurazaka grabbed Chamo around his furry middle.

"Hey you vermin! What's that supposed to mean? What'll be harder for us t' hear?" she yelled in the rodent's face.

"Come on, Red. Let go already. You're pinching my lungs here," Chamo cried.

"It's going to get much worse if you don't spit it out now!" she shot back. "It's bad enough I found you in my underwear drawer this morning, so you'd better –"

"Asuna," Negi interrupted. "Behave yourself and I'll explain. Now please put him down," which she did, not–so–gently. It was more like she slammed him on the desk head–first.

When Asuna had stormed back to her seat, Negi walked around to the front of his desk and leaned against it, looking down at his feet with a heavy heart. "Girls, I'm afraid this is our last meeting as a class."

There was an instant ruckus of questions and confused denials that lasted for several seconds before Negi could settle them down.

The boy took a deep breath. "I'm afraid I've been reassigned to a school in Scotland. A magic school." He took a pause to let it sink in. "I wanted to stay here, since I've grown so fond of you all, but the Dean wouldn't have it. As of this moment, I'm no longer your teacher."

"By why, Negi?" Konoka Konoe burst out, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. "Why do you have to leave us now? After everything that's happened."

Negi only sighed. _I didn't want to tell them this, but I have no choice_. "Most of you know that when Fate Averruncus attacked the gateport, he destroyed the giant keystone and thus the time bonds, right? Well, when he did that, the time-sync was thrown out of whack."

"How out of whack was it?" Haruna Saotome asked, trying to lighten the moment.

"Very," Negi said without a trace of amusement in his voice. "In fact, we were sent forward in time by one year. That's why we're the only ones here. Everyone else has already graduated. Class 3–A is … no more." Again, there was silence.

"I'll be leaving with Takamichi the day after tomorrow for London," he said in a wavering voice. The girls could tell he was on the verge of tears. "I'm sorry." That was all he could say before turning to leave the room.

He would have left too, had Asuna not met him half-way. "YOU DUMMY!" she screamed, and with a swat from her harisen, sent him careening into the chalkboard, his body leaving a huge crack upon impact.

"Asuna, what was that for?" he asked innocently, grasping the back of his head to check for blood. But she wasn't listening. She had squatted down and was grasping Negi's shoulders. Everyone, save for Evangeline A.K. McDowell and Mana Tatsumiya were joining her, crowding around Negi, all with worried expressions.

"You dummy," she said, this time very softly. "Didn't I tell you Negi? We're your partners, and partners stand by each other, always. If there's no more reason for you to be our teacher, then to Hell with it. Do you honestly think we could let you go alone?"

"Listen, everyone," Negi tried to answer. "There's a reason I must go alone."

"B-b-b-but Professor," Nodoka Miyazaki interrupted in a surprisingly assertive voice. "What could possibly make you think you need to do this alone? We –"

"Yeah, out with it, Prof," Kazumi Asakura jumped in. "What gives?"

Negi took a deep, slow breath. _I promised Takamichi and the Dean that I wouldn't tell them this, but there doesn't seem to be any other way._ "It's Fate. He's back." His voice was barely a whisper, but it echoed throughout the room. Even the cool-as-ice Mana looked up, and Evangeline was jarred out of her usual drowsy state.

Several girls gasped. But Asuna didn't buy it. She grabbed Negi by his suit and said to his face, "So the heck what? Negi, you kicked his ass back there. What makes you so afraid of him now? I mean, it's not like he's got an even bigger army behind him." Negi winched, but he tried to hide it. But it wasn't enough to get past Asuna's keen eyes. _He knows something he's not telling us._ She pressed him against the wall and grinned, scaring Negi senseless. "You know something, don't ya? Well, spit it out!"

Their teacher let out a big sigh. There was no getting out of this. "Not only does he have a bigger army. He seems to be joined up with an entity that has proven to be far more deadly than he is. This enemy is unknown and uses poison vapor to kill. Nothing can defend against that. It rots the body from both the outside and inside at once. Even with a filtering mask, you'd be dead in seconds. There's no way I can put you all at risk like this. I would never be able to forgive myself if –"

_KA_-_SLAP!_

This time Negi was smacked straight across the cheek by Nodoka! "DUMMY!" she yelled at the top of her voice. The crying girl sank to her knees and hugged Negi as tightly as she could. "You … dummy," she sobbed. "How could you even think of leaving us, Professor? If you're going, we're going with you." Then she buried her head in his chest, her cheeks glistening with tears.

"Nodoka," Negi whispered, still shocked at what had just transpired. She had never been this forward before. The timid, book-loving girl had changed so much since they first met a year and a half ago. Back then, she would never have raised her voice like this, much less her hand.

"Way to go, Bookworm," Haruna said under her voice. She was so proud of her best friend, who had been in love with Professor Springfield since Day 1.

"Jeez," Chamo scoffed, taking a puff from a cigarette. "When will he learn? These girls just can't be stopped. They have the power over him in situations like these."

Yue just blushed and looked away. _I know I should feel happy for her … but …_

Chachamaru just stood watching, looking flustered.

Finally, Nodoka pulled away from Negi and turned towards the others, only now she was smiling. "Well everyone, if we're going to London in two days, then we'd better start packing."

"Atta girl, Nodoka!" whooped Asuna happily. "You heard her, girls! We're going to England … again!" Everyone laughed.

"Yay!" cried Makie Sasaki and Yuna Akashi. Akira Okochi just smiled. Again, they were headed for England but this time, they knew where and why they were going. Furthermore, they were going with Negi. That was the most important thing because now, no matter what happened, they would be safe.

As everyone clapped and cheered, Mana got up from her seat. "I'd love to, but my place is here. Someone needs to keep this campus safe from outside threats." As she stepped out of the door, she whispered, "After all, it was my former Magister's last wish."

Evangeline had a similar attitude. "Well, you can count me out. As you know, I can't leave this campus because of that bastard, the Thousand Master." She was about to follow Mana's lead when Negi spoke up.

"Evangeline … I mean, Master! Wait!" he called after her. "I've found a way for you to leave the campus without being affected by the barrier." That got her attention.

Evangeline turned around slowly. "W-wh-wh-what?" she stuttered. "What did you just say?"

"I said, you can leave the campus for the first time in 16 years," Negi smiled, holding out his hand, as if beckoning her to take it.

"However, you … might not like the answer."

"Wait. What does that mean?" she demanded, her face getting redder and redder with every word.

But Negi wasn't listening. "Chamo," he motioned.

"You got it, Bro," Chamo chimed, pulling out a piece of chalk and jumping down from the desk. "Loosen up those lips, Eva. It's time."

"Time? For what?" she said, getting a vague idea of what he meant. "If you think for one second, that I would –!" But before she could say anything, Negi pressed his lips to hers.

Chamo was beside himself with glee. "Oh yeah! That's what I'm talking about, baby. Look at those fireworks. PACTIO!" Instantly, the two kids were surrounded by a pink, glowing hexagram with a ring surrounding it that filled with runes. "Thatta boy, Negi! What a playboy!"

Negi instantly broke the kiss and staggered back, leaving Evangeline with a sickened look on her face. "Chamo! Listen to yourself! What are you saying?"

"Hah! I'm just kidding, Kiddo," Chamo laughed. "Now let's quit talking and start packing. I've already booked our flight. I'll just add the extra tickets. Hope you don't mind I used your credit card, Neg."

"I'll leave it to you, Chamo," he said. "I'm sure you'll take care of it properly and – WHAT?"

Everyone laughed. None of them knew that Negi even _had_ a credit card.

"Never mind that," came a voice from the back of the room. Chisame Hasegawa, Class-A hacker, looked over the screen of her laptop. "There no need to waste Professor Springfield's hard-earned money. I know a way to get to England for nothing. Yup, you heard me. Absolutely free."

"What? Free?" Negi said, amazed. "But I don't understand."

"You will," Chisame answered him, smiling in her she-devilish way. "All I need to do is make one little call. So no need to worry. This is fool-proof. So Chamo, make sure you cancel those tickets and get Professor Springfield's account credited or I'll sic Asuna on you, stupid ermine."

"Hey, what am I? Your attack dog?" Asuna retorted angrily.

Everyone laughed and began making their plans.

Unbeknownst to Negi, Kazumi put her hand to her chin and grinned. _Playboy, huh? That gives me an idea!_

"Uh, Kazumi," said a voice from behind her.

The red–haired girl looked back. Sayo Aisaka, the class' friendly ghost was hovering by her right shoulder. "Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?"

Kazumi giggled and shook her finger as she spoke. "You just have to wait … and … see."

* * *

That afternoon, at a Western-Style mansion not far from the campus, the telephone rang. The butler picked up the receiver and said, "Yes, hello? The young Miss? Certainly. She'll be right with you." He set the phone down on the table and walked quickly into the tea room where the "Young Miss" was sitting on the sofa, calmly sipping her tea. "Excuse Miss," he said. "You're wanted on the telephone."

"Who is it?" she asked, sweeping her golden blonde hair behind her head. "If it's nobody I know, I'm not interested."

"Well," the butler said. "It's a girl who claims to be your classmate."

"All right, I'm coming," she said lazily, standing up and walking to the phone. She picked up the receiver. "Hello? If this is Asuna, you may as well just hang up right now. Chisame? That's not like you. Normally, it's just email with you. What happened? You guys never came back, and then the rest of us had to go back to Mahora without you. Then we had to graduate with only half the class present. What do you have to say for yourself? As the former Class Representative, I am ashamed of you. What? A free flight to England? Why should –? What? It's for _him_? Sure. I'd do anything for Professor Springfield. The day after tomorrow? Okay. I'll have the preparations made at once." And she hung up the phone.

Letting out a huge sigh of relief, Ayaka Yukihiro walked out onto the balcony and looked out over the garden. "I'm glad they're all right. Oh! What I would give to see that boy again. If it weren't for my father wanting me to participate in the family business in addition to my duties as a student, I'd go with them myself. Ah, well. Who knows? Maybe my chance will come sooner than I think," she said cheerfully as she turned and walked back into the house to make the arrangements for her favorite former classmates.

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Next time: Harry Potter's New Threat debut. Finally, we shall see what has become of him now that Lord Voldemort is gone for good. What does he do for a living? And who is he spending his life with?

Check back in two days.

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A/N: Unfortunately, I can't have Mana leave Mahora with everyone else … yet, but rest assured. I have special plans for her.

**Please review.** The more opinions I get, the more often I'll update, because there's plenty more where this came from.


	4. Chapter 3: Harry’s New Assignment

Disclaimer: I own nothing having to do with Harry Potter, InuYasha or Negima! … except my books and DVD's … and my own ideas.

**Updated: 2/1/2013**

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Harry's New Assignment

It was a bright morning at Number 12 Grimmauld Place with the sun high in the sky. Harry Potter was bustling about the house preparing to depart for the Ministry of Magic. He had received a message from his best friend Ron Weasley saying that the Minister demanded his and Ron's presence at the Ministry immediately. Harry was now an Auror, a wizard that hunts down and apprehends Dark wizards and witches, working for the Ministry, having joined about a month after the final battle against Voldemort just over six years ago. That had been the greatest and most grueling battle of Harry's life, resulting in the death of the most terrifying dark wizard the world had ever seen, as well as several of his friends and the near-destruction of Hogwarts. After a full year of hunting for Horcruxes, vessels in which Voldemort had implanted pieces of his soul in his quest for immortality, and destroying them, finally ended in June 1998 when Harry defeated Voldemort in a duel and ended the evil wizard's life. Even in the years following the battle, a small number of Death Eaters, Voldemort's henchmen, had attempted to pick up where Voldemort had left off, but Harry caught them with ease. It was easy to catch the grunts after the master is gone. The hardest part was tracking them down, but apprehending them wasn't always simple. When Dark wizards get desperate, they're at their most dangerous, but Harry wasn't called the Ministry's best Auror since Alastor Moody for nothing. The training Harry had received during his years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had paid off.

Harry donned his dark wizard's robes and hurried down the stairs to the living room, where his wife Ginny was waiting alongside the house-elf Kreacher. Harry and Ginny were married two years ago, and the red-haired girl with whom Harry once attended Hogwarts had become a fine young woman and a loving wife. Still, despite the love between them, Harry still felt that they lacked the essential spice in their relationship. _What we need is for something big to happen,_ he thought.

His late godfather, Sirius Black, had left Kreacher the house-elf and Number 12 Grimmauld Place to Harry years ago following his death. At first, Kreacher detested Harry and wanted nothing to do with him, but eventually began to accept Harry after Harry treated Kreacher with a little kindness and compassion. For several years, Kreacher had worked in the Hogwarts kitchen with the other elves, but after Harry and Ginny were married, Harry asked Kreacher to return to Grimmauld Place and be their house-elf once again, and Kreacher had been more than happy to obey. "Good morning, Master," the old elf said with a deep bow.

"Good morning," Harry warmly greeted his welcoming party.

"Harry, you know I'll never get used to you being at Minister Shacklebolt's beck and call. I know you're the best wizard in our world, but don't you think he is putting you on too many easy cases?" Ginny asked Harry, pushing her bright red hair behind her ear. Ginny had become rather annoyed with how Harry was being called away at least once a month with new missions. She knew that Harry was the best Auror there was, but she couldn't help feeling that Harry's power was going to waste on weakling criminals.

Harry sat her down on the sofa in the living room and turned to look into her eyes. "Ginny, you know I can never ignore a direct order from the Minister of Magic. It's true that these past cases have been like child's play, but now that Voldemort is dead, nobody's left to give me a challenge. Besides, there is always a chance that the criminal may be as powerful as Voldemort was. It's not at all likely, but I've been getting a really anxious feeling lately. This time might be different," Harry told her. "This enemy might even be stronger."

"Harry, listen to yourself! You're the best, and here you are hoping for a stronger opponent. I don't think I'll ever understand how your mind works. Still, if you think there's someone stronger than Voldemort, the greatest Dark wizard to have ever lived, I'll just wait and see what happens when it happens. I gave up arguing with you years ago," Ginny said, shaking her head in disbelief. "Anyway, you should get going before the Minister sends someone after you."

"Don't worry," Harry said with a wave of his hand. "Ron's letter says I've been granted special clearance to use the Floo Network to go directly to the Minister's office." Normally, wizards use Floo Powder to travel long distances in an instant through fireplaces. He gave Ginny a long kiss goodbye, and with a wave of his wand, Harry lit a fire, and then took a pinch of the glittering powder from a small pot near his fireplace. He removed his glasses, so as not to damage them, and scattered the powder into the flames, which turned a brilliant green. With a "See you soon," he stepped into the flames and said as clearly as he could, "Ministry of Magic!" Immediately, Harry felt his body begin to spin wildly, magically propelled all the way to London and straight into the Minister's office.

Harry finally stopped spinning and touched down inside the fireplace of his boss, Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Minister of Magic. He had done this enough times over the past 12 years to figure out how to land without ending up on his rear and covered in soot. He climbed out and brushed himself off, pulling out his glasses and putting them on. Suddenly, he halted. What Harry Potter saw before him was unlike anything he had ever seen before! There in the entrance to the office stood a Japanese girl wearing the most curious of clothing and a youth with dog-ears dressed in a blood-red robe with longer silver hair than even Albus Dumbledore had had. Harry had seen some of the ugliest creatures the planet had to offer, but this was the most outlandish thing he'd ever seen. _Am I dreaming?_ he thought. _Please tell me I'm dreaming?_

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Please **Read & Review** (Anonymous reviews are more than welcome)

Sorry it was so short this time. I don't like to set goals or standards. That way, I never get disappointed by how much I write.

Next update: in 5 days (long chapters)

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Next time: In a super-rare double-header update, everyone introduces themselves and discusses the threat posed by Naraku and Fate, along with some other surprises along the way.


	5. Chapter 4: Meetings and Introductions

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, Harry Potter, Negima! … and now … Looney Tunes (just a one time thing, I assure you).

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I hope you all liked my depiction of the Harry Potter household. I did my research and tried to reproduce the unknown as best I could. **Edited: 3/14/10**

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Meetings and Introductions

"Aw, damn it all, Kagome. I thought this day couldn't get any damn weirder! First, owls are picking and pecking and pulling at my ears, and now people are coming out of the fireplaces," an annoyed InuYasha said after seeing the man exit the fireplace. The half–demon looked like he was ready to take a swing at something, or someone. "This is just too damn much!"

"Come on, InuYasha. Calm down," Kagome said, trying to hold InuYasha back from taking a swing at the nearest living thing. "Please continue Mr. Shacklebolt," she said, turning to the burly black wizard.

"Thank you Miss, and thank you Mr. Potter for joining us so promptly. Also, let me apologize for the owls' behavior, sir, but they seem to nibble on ears as a sign of affection," Kingsley said in a deep, imposing voice, beckoning to Harry to join him and the waiting Ron Weasley behind his desk. InuYasha just scoffed and took his place next to Kagome at the center of the room, muttering something under his breath. "Now all we have to do is to wait for Hagrid to arrive with Professor Springfield and his team before we get down to the business at hand." As if on cue, there was a loud "click" sound at the window. Harry crossed to the window and let in a large brown owl, which fluttered down to land on the desk. Upon seeing this, InuYasha slapped his hands over his ears. He had had enough ear–pulling for one day. Kingsley removed the roll of parchment tied to its leg and read it as the owl flew out the window. "Ah, good. They're on their way and will be here momentarily. That'll make things much easier. Once they arrive, I'll brief everyone on the situation."

"Who's Professor Springfield?" Ron asked Harry. The tall, red–haired wizard had no recollection of meeting anyone named "Springfield."

"Maybe a new teacher," Harry answered, bewildered.

"Yes, Professor Negi Springfield is a young mage from Wales who a very old friend of mine referred to us. If the stories I've heard are true, he has faced wizards beyond even Voldemort's level and lived," Kingsley replied. "We also have reason to believe that one of those wizards is behind the crisis we've been facing for the past week. But once he's here we'll elaborate on this."

"Bloody Hell! Wizards stronger than Voldemort? Harry, is that even possible?" Ron said with a distraught face. Throughout Ron's entire childhood, he'd been too terrified to even speak Voldemort's name, but in the last six years, ever since he witnessed the man's death at Harry's hands, people were now not afraid to speak his name, as no magic can possibly revive what is dead.

"I've no idea, Ron, but we'll find out soon enough."

"Hey, what's that smell?" said InuYasha, audibly sniffing the air. "There's something coming this way, and it ain't human," he said, putting a hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist. "It's not demon, but not quite human either."

Sure enough, a giant of a man walked into the room a moment later. Between the man's hair and beard, little of his face was visible. He was more than twice InuYasha's height, and several times as wide. "Harry, me boy!" he said in a booming voice, and strode across the room and thumped Harry and Ron on the back so hard their legs buckled under them. "Haven't seen you boys in quite a few. Was wonderin' if I'd ever see you two again."

"Strong as ever Hagrid," Harry said, straightening up. "How've the grounds been holding up these past years?"

"Ah, everythin's been fine, but it's got so borin' after you kids left. Nobody comes ter visit me anymore."

Before the giant could say anymore, a tall, grey–haired man in a dark grey suit walked in the door, followed by two young boys and a girl who were each no older than 10– or 11–years–old, and a group of 14 middle school girls in maroon school uniforms, followed by a ghost. One of the two boys had short auburn hair and was dressed in a green suit and wore C–Bridge Pince–nez glasses, and carried a wooden staff with an appendage at one end that reminded Harry very much of the lightning–bolt–shaped scar he had on his own forehead. The other boy had black hair and dog–like ears and wore an unbuttoned black light jacket over a white long-sleeved shirt and black pants. What bewildered Harry the most was the antenna–like ears one of the girls had. If he hadn't known better, he would've said she wasn't quite human.

"Good day, gentlemen. I take it you are the Minister?" the man said, turning to Kingsley. "My name is Professor Takamichi T. Takahata, and I've brought with me Professor Negi Springfield, just as you requested," he said, indicating the boy in the green suit.

"Good afternoon, sir. With all due respect, I think we should get down to business as soon as possible," the boy said, taking in the scene with one look around the office. "The wizarding world is in grave danger."

"Now, now, Mister Springfield. There will be plenty of time for that in a moment," said Kingsley getting up from his desk with a chuckle. "Since we'll be working together in this effort, we should get acquainted with one another. "Let's start with you, Harry." He gestured to the wizard at his side.

"I'm Harry Potter, and I'm an Auror," said Harry. "And before anyone mentions it, yes, I am _the_ Harry Potter who brought down Voldemort and all that," he finished, as though it wasn't even worth mentioning. These people probably never even heard of him.

"Yes, I know exactly who you are, Mr. Potter," Negi told him. "Even that you are the youngest Auror, or Dark Wizard catcher in the history of the Ministry of English wizards." Somehow, this didn't surprise Harry at all.

"Ron Weasley, also an Auror, and Harry's best friend," said the tall, red–haired wizard standing beside Harry.

"Kinsley Shacklebolt, former Auror and Minister of Magic."

"Rubeus Hagrid, groundskeeper at Hogwarts. I'm also half–giant, on me mother's side," Hagrid said proudly, standing beside Harry and Ron.

"InuYasha, and before anyone asks about the ears, I'm a half–demon, and if anyone has a problem with that, then that's their problem," InuYasha growled with a serious face. All of a sudden, he slapped himself on the neck, held his hand in front of his face, and snarled "Now you behave yourself, Myoga!"

"Who?" everyone whispered in unison.

"Please excuse the interruption. My name is Myoga, loyal servant to Master InuYasha," said a voice that seemed to come out of nowhere. Then a very tiny insect jumped onto Kingsley's nose. "It is an honor to meet such a distinguished figure as yourself." The flea was wearing a small set of old fashioned clothes and even had a pointy white mustache.

"This is the first time I've seen an insect talk," said a surprised Kingsley with a start.

"How rude," Myoga said. "I'm a centuries–old flea demon who has served Lord InuYasha's family for centuries."

"I'm Kagome Higurashi, and don't mind InuYasha. He's always like this when meeting new people," said Kagome with a reassuring smile, earning herself a "Feh!" from InuYasha.

With a "Hotcha!" something jumped straight toward Kagome. Before it got within one foot of her, InuYasha snatched it out of the air and held it inches from his face. It looked like a white weasel with a black patch at the end of a short tail. "What the Hell do you think you're doing, you little rat!"

"Hey! I'm not a rat, I'm an ermine! An ermine FAIRY! And my name is Chamo, you savage!" the ermine yelled, struggling to escape InuYasha's clenched fist.

_He doesn't look like any fairy I've ever seen_, Kagome thought._ But then again …_

"I don't care if you're a rat, a fairy or a freakin' pixie! You're name is '_Mud_' as far as I'm concerned!" InuYasha snarled and threw Chamo on the floor and started stomping on his tail, Chamo starting to scream something about animal abuse.

At that moment, Bugs Bunny popped out of the floor and said with an innocent smile, "And remember: 'Mud' spelled backwards is 'dumb'!" He zipped back down again and his rabbit–hole disappeared as though it had never been there.

"Wasn't that –" Negi and Harry started at the same time.

"Just pretend you didn't see nothing, got it?" a strange figure with a round head said as he poked his head in through the door, and disappeared.

"And who was that?" Kingsley asked.

"I'm sure we'll find out eventually," Kagome replied.

_Was that …_ Negi thought. He couldn't help thinking he knew the person they'd just seen.

InuYasha kept stomping Chamo's tail until Kagome said, "InuYasha, sit, boy," sending InuYasha crashing to the floor with extreme force.

"Whoa! What kind of magic was _that_?" Harry asked her.

"There's no magic to it. It's all in the necklace, boys, all in the necklace," Kagome said with a proud smile and a gesture toward the prayer-bead necklace around InuYasha's neck, "but it only works for me."

"Thank God for that," InuYasha retorted under his breath, still lying face–down on the ground, his voice muffled by the solid granite tiles pressed against his face.

"If we could continue please," Takamichi said, once InuYasha had stood up. "My name is Takamichi T. Takahata, mage specializing in combat and magical war veteran."

"You're not referring to the wars against Voldemort," Harry said. "I don't recall ever hearing your name during those times."

"During Voldemort's first reign, there was a great war going on in the Mundus Magicus, or Magical World. It's a whole other world inhabited only by mages and magical creatures," Takamichi said. "It could've resulted in absolute global annihilation of both worlds, had it not been for Negi's father, the Thousand Master and Ala Rubra, but that's a whole other story in and of itself. Negi, you next."

"Right. I'm Professor Negi Springfield, combat mage and apparently, the new Defense against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts School. The Thousand Master was also my father, who people believe to be dead, but I know for a fact that he's alive somewhere. You've already met Chamo here," Negi said, indicating the ermine sitting on his shoulder and trying to straighten out his tail. "And these are my students, Asuna Kagurazaka, Konoka Konoe, Yue Ayase, Chisame Hasegawa, Nodoka Miyazaki, Setsuna Sakurazaki, Kazumi Asakura, Chachamaru Karakuri, Haruna Saotome, Kaede Nagase, Fei Ku, Sayo Aisaka, Ako Izumi, Akira Okochi, Natsumi Murakami and Evangeline Athanasia Catherine McDowell." The girls bowed in unison, except for Evangeline, who just stood there with her arms crossed.

Ron sniggered at the mention of Evangeline's second middle name, trying unsuccessfully to turn it into a cough. _Catherine means Kitty! It suits her_, he thought.

"What are you laughing at, little boy?" the little girl asked with an evil smile. Her eyes went black with white pupils. She stretched out her hand and snapped her fingers. There was a flash of purple–black light, and a moment later, Ron was frozen in a large pillar of ice.

"RON!" Harry gasped, running up to him and trying to melt the ice with his wand, but to no avail.

"The Frozen Ice Coffin. I invented this spell myself. Never mess with me. You're looking at the most terrifying vampire you'll ever meet. Even Dracula is a wimp compared to me, and I think the level of my power would agree," Evangeline said with an evil grin.

"Pah! That's nothin' ter worry about," Hagrid said, pulling an umbrella out of his thick brown coat and pointing it at the ice block. A pair of fairly large fireballs shot out of its tip and struck the ice pillar, but to Hagrid's surprise, they disappeared as soon as they hit. He'd recently been allowed to return to Hogwarts as a student like before he was wrongfully expelled over 60 years ago, so he was confident in his abilities. Hagrid had only just finished his studies in magic and still needed practice, but he did not expect this.

"Wha'?" he exclaimed. He pulled his other hand back and tried to punch it instead. Nothing happened, not even a crack, but there _was_ a big bruise on Hagrid's fist. "OW! Blimey! How in the world –?"

"Hmph! You fool," Evangeline cackled. "No magic can melt my ice."

After several minutes and some fancy work by Negi and Asuna, the ice finally shattered and Ron was finally free, very cold, but free nonetheless, but when he looked into Evangeline's eyes, he recoiled in terror. "I swear I'll never laugh again," he said in a panic, cowering in fear, his eyes widening. "I mean, wow, big things come in small packages, but I never expected that."

"Just for the record," Evangeline said, pointing a black–nailed finger towards Ron's scared face. "If the boy and the dunce hadn't come to your rescue, you'd have been frozen for ten years." This made Ron's eyes widen even more. "Remember your place, BOY."

"Who're you calling a dunce?" Asuna yelled, elbowing Evangeline's head with considerable force, driving the diminutive vampire to her knees.

Evangeline glared daggers at Asuna and mumbled something while clutching her mouth.

"What did she say?" Kingsley asked.

"What did she say?" half the people in the room echoed.

"What did she say?" Negi echoed, looking at one of his girls.

"She said, 'You brat! You made me bite my tongue again'," Chachamaru, a tall girl with long, light-green hair and metallic ears answered in her usual monotone voice.

"Enough already. Stand up! You're a grown man, for heaven's sake," the young dog–eared boy yelled at Ron. Calming himself down, he said, "I'm Kotaro Inugami, half–demon, ninja and master of Inugami or dog–gods." He held his hand out to the side, and there was suddenly a ferocious–looking jet–black dog standing there beside him. "Don't worry, they obey any order I give them. So don't make me mad or I'll sic them on you," he laughed fiendishly.

_That dog looked a lot like Sirius_, Harry thought, remembering his late godfather, Sirius Black.

"One last question," Ron said. "Why do you have a vampire and a ghost with you, and what do you mean they're your students?"

This time, Chachamaru stepped forward and said in a very calm voice, "Pardon me, but I don't think it is right to judge us based on what we are. Whether one is a ghost like Sayo, or a vampire like my master, or a robot like myself, we're students in the 9th grade, under Professor Springfield's tutelage." However, this time, there was a trace of fierce emotion in the robot girl's voice. She stepped back and bowed in respect.

"Thank you, Chachamaru. That was beautiful," Negi said, applauding her speech.

"Now that we've all been introduced, let's get down to business," Kingsley said, sitting down at his desk. "We have little time and much to discuss."

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That's all for now. Check back later today for the next new chapter, and the second part of today's double–header: "Getting Down to Business."

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Don't forget to tell me what you think about the comic relief in this chap. Just in case I decide to do it again. LOL!


	6. Chapter 5: Getting Down to Business

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my ideas … and my computer.

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Hope you found my last post amusing. As promised, here is update #2 for the day. **Edited: 12/27/10**

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Getting Down to Business

Kingsley Shacklebolt surveyed the people standing before him with a serene expression. "It's time for us to find out what we're up against," he said. "Now, who would like to speak first?"

"Damn it. Screw the formalities. Kagome, let's just get this over with," said an annoyed and impatient InuYasha. For the next two hours, InuYasha and Kagome explained everything they knew about Naraku, including his powers, his methods of killing and manipulation, his love for elaborate traps, his incarnations – which Ron found a little hard to swallow, how a man could give birth to so many demons – as well as all the heinous and unforgivable crimes that Naraku had committed. Finally, InuYasha got down to the only known weakness that Naraku had. "Like all half–demons, Naraku and I have one night every once in a while in which we lose our demon powers and become weak. I become an average human at sunset and return to normal at dawn when that time comes. As for Naraku, he claims that during his times of weakness, he takes apart his body and experiments with the demons that make up his body, casting out the weak and becoming stronger. Also, he's capable of choosing the time that it happens."

"There's also something important to remember," Kagome piped in. "Even if Naraku is blown to pieces, he won't die unless his heart it destroyed. A while back, he separated his heart from his body. The heart is in the shape of an infant. So it's impossible to destroy Naraku unless the infant is destroyed."

"Where is it now?" Negi asked curiously.

"It could be anywhere at anytime," said Kagome in despair. "It was placed inside a demon called Moryomaru."

"Another demon?" Ron said in frustrated disbelief. "What next?"

"But this demon is different," InuYasha seethed. "He was created by one of Naraku's incarnations with the sole purpose of getting rid of Naraku. We think that the infant inside him is what gives him that desire. Like Naraku, he can absorb other demons, plus he gains their abilities. He even went so far as to steal my Tetsusgaiga's adamant spears. Not even my Dragon–Scaled Tetsusaiga can beat him. Plus, every time I get close to killing him, he runs away, just like Naraku always has."

"What's tha' about a dragon?" Hagrid burst out. Harry and Ron looked at each other and smirked. Hagrid had always had a soft spot for dragons. He'd even tried to hatch and raise one for a short time in Harry and Ron's first year at school.

"Nothing," InuYasha answered. "It's a form my Tetsusaiga takes that allows it to absorb demonic energy.

"As for Moryomaru," InuYasha went on. "He hates Naraku's guts and wants to take his place, but that doesn't make him a friend. He's never hesitated to attack us when he got the chance. Naraku wants me and Moryomaru to fight so hard that neither of us will be able to chase after him, but I'm sure Moryomaru will figure this out eventually. What scares me is what might happen if Moryomaru succeeds in absorbing Naraku. Naraku is more passive aggressive and usually lets his pawns do the dirty work while he reaps the benefits and enjoys the show from a distance, but Moryomaru isn't afraid to get his hands dirty and is usually the first one to enter the fight. If he absorbs Naraku's powers, it'll be a whole different battle."

"Demons merging with a human using his tainted heart and soul and creating a monster as insidious as that? I've never heard of such a thing," Harry thought out–loud. He had had one experience with Voldemort possessing a man and using his body as a vessel in order to preserve his life, but he had never heard of such a complete merger of entities before.

"Then there's that thing he created," Ron added. "A man like that giving birth? Bloody Hell."

"Hah! Well, you've got that last bit only half–right," Kotaro said proudly. "Not all half–demons have that weakness. I've never been reduced to the form of a mere human. Not once! The same goes for the demon–slayer girl here," he said, gesturing toward Setsuna.

"SAY WHAT?" InuYasha howled, flabbergasted.

"Looks like God dealt you a bad hand," Ron said with a smile.

"Ron!" Harry said in his ear. "Try and be more tactful. Hermione was right when she said you have the emotional range of a teaspoon."

"More like a pair of chopsticks!" Kagome said, the anger in her voice rising. "Look what you did to InuYasha!" InuYasha was huddled in the corner, clutching his knees against his chest, saying under his breath, "Why does God hate me so bad?"

"Demon slayer? Really?" Myoga said, hopping onto Setsuna's neck and trying to take some blood from her, earning himself another squashing. "A half–demon working as a demon–slayer. Isn't that ironic?" he added as he fluttered to the ground and lay flat.

_And what about that hair-style, I've never seen anything like it_, Kagome thought, still trying to calm InuYasha down.

"My tribe banished me when I was a very little girl, because of the color of my wings. I was taken in by Miss Konoka's father, who trained me to wield the sword of Shinmei Ryu, which specializes in slaying demons and other apparitions," Setsuna said with a downcast look in her eyes.

"What wings?" Kagome said, and an instant later, Setsuna crossed her arms in front of her, and then held them out to her side. A pair of brilliant white wings sprouted from her back, giving her the appearance of an angel. The girl had a wingspan more than twice her height. "Wowwwwww," Kagome said quietly, her eyes growing wider by the second. She had stars in her eyes as she ran over and examined Setsuna's wings. "I've never seen anything so gorgeous."

"Indeed. Finally I've found someone besides Kagome who looks as good as she tastes. Your blood is the yummiest I've ever tasted," said Myoga, popping back to his normal shape and recovering his posture.

"Thank you," Setsuna said, blushing from ear to ear. She crossed her arms again and the wings shrunk into her back again. "Now then, Professor Negi, it's time we enlightened them with what we know of our other foe," she finished, straightening the back of her uniform. Bringing the wings out always pushed the back of her shirt up, sometimes even undoing her bra, which tended to an annoyance at times.

"Anyway," Kinsley continued. "Is there anything else you can tell us? Are there any clues as to recognizing him? Physical appearance?

"There is one," InuYasha said at once. "He often disguises himself with a white baboon pelt. But under it, he's absolutely hideous-looking. An eye in his chest, and one on each hand, bone–like spikes all over his upper body. Long black hair, rather unkempt really."

_Sounds disturbingly familiar_, Negi thought. He was recounting a time when his Magia Erebea went wild and he transformed into something terrifying. Although, he swore he saw something that looked much like a white baboon when they had returned to the Human World, but he didn't dare tell InuYasha that.

"Clothing?"

"Mostly blue with a little purple in his kinomo. Yellow sash around his waist. Dark pants. Pointy shoes. That's about all he wears," Kagome told them.

"Now, then. Mr. Springfield, please tell us what you know."

"Right," Negi said with a serious expression. "We don't know as much about him as you guys know about Naraku, but I'll tell you what we know. The second foe we are dealing with goes by the name of Fate Averruncus, but his real name is Tertium, which means 'the third'. He is an extremely powerful mage and a survivor of the Great Magical World War of 20 years ago. He was among the enemies my father and Ala Rubra were fighting back then. It appears that he is part of a doomsday organization known as Cosmo Entelecheia. They were, and still are set on bringing about the end of the world, believing that they could save the world by destroying it. As it stands, Fate seems to be the head of the group. Fate looks like a no–more–than–10–year–old boy with white hair. Even though he appears to be a child, do not be deceived. He is older than he lets on. He has appeared as a late-teenager before, so his age is unknown, and it is not unheard of for him to appear around Mr. InuYasha's age, right around 17 or 18. His normal attire resembles a gray school uniform. His magic is water and stone-oriented, specializing in petrifaction spells and projectiles made of stone, as well as the formidable ability to levitate and teleport through puddles of water. He is a seasoned martial artist, capable of moving at unimaginable speeds. One of his main fortes is erecting and breaking through powerful barriers. His defenses are so strong, few attacks have any chance at all of penetrating, and those that actually make it through have even less chance of actually landing. Again, this is no ordinary mage we are dealing with. The worst is, as powerful as he is, I doubt that he's shown his true power yet. Actually, I fear his power continues to grow with every passing day."

"Petrifaction?" Ron said, clearly lost.

"A spell that turns one to stone," Chamo said, leaping off Negi's shoulder and landing on Kingsley's desk. "The process starts wherever the spell touches the victim and spreads throughout the body. Most often, the entire body is turned to stone all at once, but depending on where and how it hits you, it happens slowly. Plus, if the rate of petrifaction is slow enough, a person's throat would harden, cutting off the flow of air and they would suffocate. Negi and Kotaro had each been on the receiving end of one of those spells and almost died before, not to mention getting a stone spear through the right shoulder the second time we fought him. It was a fatal wound that he was lucky to recover from. It's all thanks to Konoka's healing magic that Negi's still alive."

"Well, all things considered, I would say we face a serious crisis," Kingsley concluded, sinking into his chair with a grimace. "Because you've all had numerous encounters with these people, I think the course of action is clear: I would send you all to Hogwarts, where you will train the students and faculty to combat this menace."

"What? You can't be serious! Why involve the students?" Harry protested. "This has nothing to do with them."

"On the contrary, Mr. Potter, it does," Takamichi interjected. "Negi and I have read into Fate and Naraku's pattern, and it seems that they are seeking to wipe out all wizard kind, and they're doing it slowly. They would all have to face them eventually anyway. Their mission should be accomplished within a year. We believe that Hogwarts will be their final target. This way we still can have a fighting chance."

"No, you're wrong, Takamichi!" Negi started. "I just remembered something. There is one magic school after Hogwarts that hasn't been attacked yet. It's the Meldiana Magic Academy, where the survivors of the attack on my village from six years ago are being kept. I have reason to believe that the demons that destroyed my village and petrified all the mages of the village – including my uncle – may have been summoned by Fate or this Naraku. At least, that's the founding premise anyway. There's a small chance that the Megalo-Mesembrian Senate used them to summon the demons that attacked my village with the intent of getting to me. Probably because of a lasting grudge against my parents.

"They were the ones who scapegoated my parents and ordered the attack on my village when I was only 4 years old. Governor Godel claimed that they are my 'true enemy,' but now I just don't know."

"I doubt it," InuYasha interrupted. "If they'd collaborated with Naraku, they would all be dead by now. That's just the way he operates."

"Yes, Godel did tell you that. But why destroy those who were already petrified?" Takamichi asked Negi.

"If Konoka's power can be harnessed and matured, she can undo the permanent petrifaction that they were afflicted with. Perhaps they wish to destroy them before that happens. Our only hope is to train amongst our own kind and become strong enough to stop them before they kill every last wizard in the entire world.

"The students of Hogwarts proved themselves to be a force to be reckoned with during the final battle against Voldemort six years ago. It might not be such a bad idea to let the students fight together to save the world, because you know that is what every child fantasizes of doing," Negi said. "Believe me."

"But why train safely at Hogwarts while people are dying all over the world?" Harry said. "We can't just abandon them!"

"Very true, and that is why the Dean of Mahora Academy and I have already set in motion an operation that will ensure the safety of all remaining wizards. We mages have begun tracking down major wizarding communities and gathering everyone into one place. In another couple of months, a well hidden portal will open that will take them to the Magical World, where they will be safe until the danger has passed. However, those willing to stay and fight will be welcome to remain on Earth and help with the war effort against this common enemy," Takamichi stated with confidence in his voice.

"Which brings me to this: InuYasha, will you become a teacher as well and teach our students to fight?" Kingsley said boldly.

"Me? Teach?" InuYasha stammered, caught completely off–guard by the sudden request.

"Do it, InuYasha. When it comes to hand–to–hand combat, you're one of the best," Kagome said encouragingly.

"Why have me teach hand–to–hand combat moves? I thought wizards fought with magic," InuYasha said half-heartedly.

"Remember, Fate is a martial artist. It is likely that any of us may find ourselves disarmed at some point," Negi reminded him. "This is to ensure that we will be as prepared as possible."

"Feh. Fine, I'll do it," InuYasha said with reluctance. "But I'm not doing this alone. Someone's gotta help me."

"Why not ask Koga to help you?" Kagome suggested.

"WHAT? Not that mangy wolf. Anyone but him!" InuYasha yelled, having finally come out of his coma of depression, angrily bearing his fangs.

"But InuYasha, he's a great fighter. He may run in the face of overwhelming odds once in a while, but he's still pretty reliable. If it means that much, you can each teach separate classes and you won't have to be near each other, because when you get right down to it, he's just as good as you are. Need I remind you that time when we first met Kagura?"

"Grrr. Well, that suits me just fine," InuYasha said, sulking. "And you can say that we're equal all you want, Kagome. It don't make it true. The fact that I lived through that is proof enough."

"Well, this is fine and dandy, but I think we should put this boy to the test," Hagrid interrupted. "If InuYasha can't beat me with his bare-hands, I'll handle the physical trainin'."

"Good idea, Hagrid," Ron said. "Hagrid's the strongest man at Hogwarts. This guy can claim to be strong all he wants, but as far as I'm concerned, it's all been just talk. I suggest that the before the students arrive at Hogwarts, InuYasha and Hagrid have a sparring match, and the first person to be knocked out loses."

"Hah. Sounds good to me, but why wait?" InuYasha said, with a trace of excitement in his voice. "I'm tired of talking, and I'm itching for some action."

"Calm yourself, InuYasha," Kingsley said holding up his hand. "This is not a place for fighting. Besides, if we do this at Hogwarts, the teachers will have a chance to give their input on the situation."

"Fine. We'll wait, but you'd better at least give me a half-decent workout," InuYasha said, pointing at Hagrid. "Because I've fought demons more than twice your size without breaking a sweat, and so far, I'm not impressed."

"Don't be so daft," Ron snorted. "Hagrid's a lot smarter than he looks. Those demons you fought must have been pretty brainless, because you don't look so smart yourself."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?"

"I said you're a stupid git!"

"WHY YOU LITTLE –!"

"Enough! Now then, Kagome, I have some very important instructions to give you. This special ritual will allow your friends to travel to our time to help with the preparation. If your stories are true, then they deserve to fight in this war just as must as we do," Kingsley said with the most serious of expressions. "Pay close attention, because this must be followed to the letter, or else something will probably go wrong. Bear in mind, this has never been attempted before."

"Lastly," he said, turning to Harry and Ron, "gentlemen, I've decided to send out letters to any students who participated in the battle of Hogwarts six years ago, offering them to return to Hogwarts for further magical training. In addition, as you know, Professor McGonagall has been appointed Headmistress of Hogwarts, and the positions of Head of Gryffindor House and Transfiguration professor have been reassigned. I have already sent instructions to our new Transfiguration teachers on how to reach Hogwarts. They're alchemists and I have high hopes that they will revolutionize the teaching of Transfiguration. I've also decided to make Negi here the new Head of Gryffindor House. I understand that Ministry interference is not wanted at Hogwarts, but I think he is best suited for the job."

At that moment, Ron rounded on Kingsley. "Why him? He never studied at Hogwarts, so he was never in Gryffindor. He doesn't have the right. It should be Harry to take the job."

"Did Harry graduate as the valedictorian of his year at the age of nine?" Takamichi asked him. "If so, I'm sure Negi would be more than happy to relinquish the title to him."

"In that case, the job is his," Harry said. He leaned closer to Takamichi and whispered, "Between you and me, I never finished all seven years of school, so I'm technically a dropout."

"Don't worry," Takamichi reassured him. "Even the Thousand Master, the greatest magician in all history, is a magic school dropout. Nagi never passed a single exam in his life."

Harry's eyes opened wide. If the greatest magician in all history was no smarter than a first-year, what did that make him?

"Since that's decided, let us retire for the day, except for Kagome and InuYasha. I'd like to talk to you about getting your friends here to London. I'll also need your help Professor Springfield."

With that, the room began to empty. Harry was sure of one thing: this coming year was going to be anything but normal at Hogwarts, but then again, since when was anything at Hogwarts "normal?"

* * *

I hope it was informative, yet … not boring.

* * *

Next update in 5 days, because I'm bringing in both Naruto and Fullmetal Alchemist. Peace out till then.


	7. Chapter 6: A Return to Hogwarts!

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated any of the aforementioned series'.

* * *

Sorry. I made a mistake a few days ago. There was one chapter in-between the last one and Naruto and Edward Elric's debuts, but don't fret. You'll still get Naruto and Fullmetal Alchemist in a couple of days. I just need to remodel half the chapter. In the meantime, consider this a little treat to tide you over.

* * *

A Return to Hogwarts?!

Harry was ecstatic as he pushed open the door of his home and walked in to find Ginny and Kreacher waiting for him in the parlor. "Ginny!" he gasped in exhilaration as he hugged his wife tight. "We're going back, Ginny! We're going back!"

"Harry," Ginny faltered. "Going back? Back where?"

"Hogwarts, Ginny," Harry said holding her at arm's length. "We're going back to Hogwarts."

"Hogwarts?" she said in bewilderment. "But why? We finished there years ago."

"I'll explain everything," he said in ecstasy, and led her to the kitchen table, Kreacher at their heels. "Kreacher, some soup, if you please."

"Master's wish is Kreacher's command," the little elf said in his raspy voice, and set to work at once.

Harry gently lowered Ginny into her seat and seated himself quickly. The chair's legs making a squeak as he slid his chair forward. "My new assignment, my biggest one yet is a full year position," he started. "You, Ron, Hermione, and I, and all of our friends have been invited back to Hogwarts to learn even more about magic."

"But Harry, you still haven't told me why."

So Harry did. It took over an hour and several bowls of soup for him to finish his story. By the time he was finished, Ginny's jaw seemed almost unhinged. "Then … you weren't joking when you said you felt that there might be someone out there stronger than you."

"No, I wasn't," he said. "This enemy is immensely strong. They've already destroyed many magic institutes in the Middle East, and are moving their way Eastward. They should finish the trip in about a year, maybe 11 months. This isn't going to be easy, so Hogwarts needs every able-bodied witch and wizard it can get."

"But why is a child teaching? And Defense Against the Dark Arts no less! That's your specialty. Why didn't you object?"

"Ginny, I'm not qualified to teach."

"But you trained Dumbledore Army! Have you forgotten that? You were the leader!"

"No. I was just a coach. Neville was the true leader."

"That doesn't matter," she pressed. "You taught us to fight. You should teach. Not him."

"Ginny, these guys can do magic we've never seen before, and in ways we never thought possible. A little girl turned Ron into a giant icicle with a mere snap of her fingers, without a wand. Even Voldemort and Dumbledore couldn't do magic without a wand. That takes incredible magic skill."

"So what?" she snapped. "Against one, he may win, but I'm sure we could beat him if we all fight together. We need to challenge him."

"No," Harry declared. "I may not have seen him fight, but I can tell he has seen his shared of battles. He has a scar on his cheek, and not a magically-inflicted one. This discussion is over," he finished, standing up and bringing their bowls to the sink. "We need to start packing. We leave for Hogwarts in three days." _This is it!_ he thought. _This is that something we needed. There's no place like Hogwarts when it comes to making things interesting._

But as they walked up the stairs to their bedroom to make their plans and start packing their things together, Ginny still wasn't given up. _Hermione won't like this. He have to make Harry the teacher, one way or another._

* * *

Next time: Edward and Alphonse Elric … becoming Alchemy teachers, and an X–Rank Mission in the Leaf Village.

* * *

The editing of the next chapter will be done in 24 – 48 hours. Till then, friends!


	8. Chapter 7: New Missions All Around

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

Ladies and Gentlemen. It gives me great pleasure to announce that the time has come for the entrance of two more fan-favorites. Everyone's favorite alchemist is about to be forced to grow up when he's handed the biggest assignment of his life, and everyone's favorite ninja-team is about to embark on a mission beyond the highest mission rank in the ninja universe.

* * *

Chapter 7 (New Missions All Around)

The morning sun was still low in the sky when Colonel Roy Mustang summoned Edward and Alphonse Elric to his office in Central. The time had come to give them their most important assignment yet.

"Ed, we've just received your next assignment. This'll keep you occupied for quite a while, but I'm confident you might just get a little closer to the Philosopher's Stone that you've been searching for," Mustang said with his usual smile.

"You just love messing around with me, don't you, Mustang. That's the same thing you told us last time, anyway," said a none-too-happy Edward. "Face it, you just love having me under your thumb."

Mustang just laughed. "Well, I can't deny that, but I'm serious this time Ed. You and your brother have been requested for a job as alchemy teachers, and if you play your cards right, you can request payment in the form of the notes of a famed alchemist who actually created a Philosopher's Stone without having to sacrifice human lives."

The expression that struck Ed's face was one of pure shock, which then turned to excitement. "All right, I'll believe you this time, Colonel. And Hell, who knows? This might be enjoyable. If I'm teaching this stuff now, I guess that means I've been deemed a fully trained alchemist."

"Don't kid yourself. You're nowhere near fully trained, but maybe this experience can be enlightening for you," Mustang said. "Who knows? You might even catch yourself a girlfriend. You know how long distance relationships like yours with Winry rarely work out."

"HEY DON'T GO THERE. I TOLD YOU WE'RE JUST FRIENDS, DAMMIT," Ed shouted, trying to get at Mustang.

"Brother, calm down," Al said, holding him back.

"Your brother's right, Ed. Here. Your mission docs," Mustang said holding out a large envelope. "But don't open it until you've arrived at your destination. You'll find a map that will lead you where you need to go.

"Ah, your transportation is here. Turn around boys," Mustang said, getting up from his desk.

Ed and Al turned around, but all they saw was a swirling vortex. "Hey, what the heck is this?" was all Ed had time to say before someone grabbed him and Al by the backs of their heads and shoved them into the portal in front of them.

"Good luck, Fullmetal. You'll need it," Mustang said before turning back to his desk to finish his daily paperwork. _Considering what the Homunculi are up to, I'm sure you'll be kept on your toes at some point._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Meanwhile ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the sun rose above the horizon, casting the first morning light over the Village Hidden in the Leaves, Kakashi Hatake arrived at the Hokage's office to make his report on the most recent mission. He pushed open the door to find Tsunade, the leader of the Leaf Village brooding over the usual several–foot–high piles of papers. "The mission was a success as usual, Lady Hokage," Kakashi said in his lazy, half–hearted voice.

"Thank you, Kakashi. And to congratulate you, I'm giving you a new mission, with the highest rank ever in the ninja world: an X–rank mission," Tsunade replied with a warm smile.

Behind the dark mask covering the bottom half of his face, Kakashi sighed. "Don't I feel lucky? No rest for the weary, huh? Okay, give it to me. What've I gotta do? Whose gotta come with me?"

"It's isn't going to be an easy one, Kakashi. Even for you. This is the highest ranked mission in shinobi history. It is of worldly importance. If this mission fails, the world as we know it may collapse in on itself," Tsunade said, completely serious. "This enemy is hundreds of times stronger than Orochimaru was, and I'm sorry to say, dozens of times stronger than Itachi Uchiha was, so I want you to pick the best nine shinobi that we have for this mission."

"Well, if that is true, I don't know what there is that can be done. I know Sasuke did away with Orochimaru, but I don't know how we're supposed to manage with this new threat. From the intelligence we've gathered, Sasuke has grown more formidable than ever. He's even attacked the Eight-Tails' host in the Hidden Cloud Village."

"True, but I think this mission can help you lucky bunch to climb to higher heights than even the Hokage. This is no ordinary school you are being sent to help guard. It is a school of magic. You can sit in on some of the classes and learn their techniques. If you and your comrades can learn the secrets of magic, you can be great assets when the battle finally comes, as well as when the Akatsuki eventually make their move. You might even find someone who wants to learn from you, Kakashi. This mission will span over a period of just under one year."

"One year?! But what about the Akatsuki?" Kakashi asked with a trace of panic in his voice. _Shouldn't I have said, 'What about Madara Uchiha'?"_

"Come now, Kakashi. This isn't like you. Remember, the Akatsuki are after Naruto, so why not take Naruto with you? He's trained for the past three years with Jiraiya, hasn't he, and mastered Sage Jutsu, which even Jiraiya couldn't master? Besides, what better place to get stronger? You could even tell him completing a mission of this magnitude would all but guarantee him Hokage status in the near future. I'm sure that'll motivate the little ingrate." Tsunade asked him in a perfectly calm tone. "Now then, you have an hour to gather your team at the village gate. When you are ready to leave, head northwest. A number of Jutsu-experts are developing a portal ninjutsu to bring you to your destination, which is too far off to get to on foot. Good luck."

"I have just the ones in mind," Kakashi added as he walked out the door and rushed out of the building.

"And one more thing," she called after him. "I'm sure you'll have a big surprise waiting for you when you get there!" _The sole surviving ninja of the Koga Clan ought to keep Kakashi on his toes._

One hour later, a group of nine ninjas was gathered at the village's front gate. The group consisted of Kakashi, Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, Shikamaru Nara, Might Guy, Rock Lee, Choji Akamichi, Neji and Hinata Hyuga.

"Man, this is such a drag. What's so important as to take us from the village for a whole year?" Shikamaru said with a sigh.

"Aw, come on, Shikamaru. I bet it'll be fun. Maybe we can try some foreign cuisine while we're at it," Choji said with a grin. "But nothing could beat good ol' barbeque," he sighed.

"All right! Lee, Neji, we've got to give it our all in this mission!" yelled the always high-spirited Guy. "Let's double our strength over the next year."

"No sensei! Triple it!" Lee cried with excitement.

"NO! QUADRUPLE IT!!!!" they both cheered at the top of their lungs.

"Where do you guys get your energy?" Neji muttered in a hollow voice.

"Well, they'll need that energy," Kakashi reminded him. "According to the Hokage, it should take us about half a week to get there. 2 days if we hurry."

"I don't see why we have to go on this mission," Naruto said angrily. "We should be trying to find Sasuke, or at least moving against the Akatsuki. I mean, why did I go mastering the Rasenshuriken for? And then there's that Sage Jutsu stuff! Wasn't it all for the sake of knocking some sense into Sasuke?"

"You never know, Naruto," Sakura said encouragingly. "Maybe we'll run into Sasuke at some point down the road." _But what if we do? Like it or not, Sasuke is a criminal. We may have no choice._

"I've got to do my best. I must be strong for this one," Hinata said quietly to herself. _This time for sure … Naruto …_

"All right, team. We have our instructions. Move out!" Kakashi said, and everyone leaped into action and broke off at a run, right out of the village, heading northwest.

* * *

I tried to handle the Naruto material delicately. I wanted to make this happen before Pain's attack, yet after Naruto achieved Sage Mode, so it required a little sacrifice.

* * *

Next time: the long trip to Hogwarts begins from that oh-so-famous train station, King's Cross. What'll happen during this trip? Wait and see!

Next update in … hmmm … let's see … three days. You see, I haven't yet started writing Chapter 32 yet, and I go back to school in 5 days, so I kinda need to get my act together. Heh.


	9. Chapter 8: Meet at King’s Cross

Disclaimer: I don't own no rights to no anime.

* * *

I hope I handled Naruto and Fullmetal Alchemist to everyone's satisfaction. The Naruto gang is on their way to Hogwarts, so it's time for the rest of our heroes to depart on the trip of a lifetime.

* * *

Meet at King's Cross

"Now are you sure you made everything clear to those guys?" InuYasha asked Kagome as he soared through the air, jumping from roof to roof, making his way through London carrying Kagome on his back. On Kagome's back, she carried her usually overstuffed backpack, a loaded quiver of arrows, and a full-sized yumi, which is a seven-foot long Japanese bow, bigger than she used to use back in the Feudal Era. She had recently taken her kyudo skills to such a level that she needed a new, bigger bow. It was bigger than she was, and she hadn't gotten a good chance to use it yet and was eager to start practicing.

"Yes, I'm sure," Kagome said over the howl of the wind rushing past them, careful not to lose her precious cargo. "I wrote down the instructions just as Kingsley told me, to the letter. I put it in a bottle and left it by the well on the other side about a week ago. Shippo comes to check the well from time to time while he waits for me to come back, so I'm sure he'll find it. Sometimes he even camps out by the well. Need I remind you of all those times you guys did? It's only a matter of time before we see them again. Kingsley told me that if it's done properly, they'll be brought right to Hogwarts, Koga and Ayame included."

"But why Ayame?"

"Because I heard from Sango that Koga finally gave up and followed through with his promise," Kagome told him.

"Promise?"

"The promise Koga made to her under the lunar rainbow. That he would make Ayame his wife, remember? Well, they're officially engaged!"

"Hah. So, he finally gave in, huh?" InuYasha said, coming to a stop on the roof overlooking the King's Cross train station. "Well, that's one pain in the ass out of the way. Him always coming after you was seriously pissing me off. But then, seeing you always flattering and flirting with him. That was no pleasure either."

"Well, EXCUSE ME for trying to keep you two from fighting," Kagome retorted. "Speaking of which, InuYasha, when are you gonna ask me to marry you. After Kikyo disappeared, you've been paying a lot more attention to me, but something tells me you're holding back. What's going on in your head?" InuYasha's first love, the priestess Kikyo had mysteriously disappeared around a month ago. Most people took her for dead, but Kagome refused to believe it, and although she hated to admit it, she knew that it was the same for InuYasha.

"Come off it, Kagome. Leave me alone. I've already got enough on my mind."

"Fine. Anyway, you'd better put this on." She jammed the cap he always wore when he was in modern day Tokyo over his onto his head to cover his dog-ears. "We don't want anyone staring at us."

"What do you mean 'us'?" InuYasha grunted under his breath, as he dropped down from the rooftop and landed in a dark alley. They hurried out of the alley and headed into the train station. "You're the one wearing a mini-skirt and carrying a bow and arrows on her back. And what's with the size of that thing?! It's freakin' bigger than me!"

"Look who's talking, Mr. Barefoot-With-a-Sword-at-his-Waist!"

They had already received their train tickets, but were confounded by the fact that they said "Platform 9¾." They reached platforms 9 and 10 and found there was nothing in-between. The whole concept of a platform in the tight space in-between the other two seemed absurd to start with. That would mean they would have planted an entire platform within a wall, and that was all kinds of impossible. "I should've known no such platform existed," Kagome said in frustration. "We've been here 20 minutes, our train leaves in less than 10, and I'm already totally lost." That was when she caught sight of a familiar face. There was Negi waving to them from half-way down the platform. They ran over to him immediately. Negi and his group were also joined by a rather short, blond-haired young man in a black shirt, black pants and a red jacket, and a there was a huge, walking suit of armor standing next to him.

"Who's the squirt?" InuYasha said, looking down at him.

The boy twitched. "What was that?" he said quietly, turning around to look at InuYasha, his eyes seeming aglow.

"Oh man," sighed Al sighed.

"WHO'RE YOU CALLIN' A SQUIRT?! I'M NOT A SQUIRT!! A MIDGET!!! A SHRIMP!!!! A RUNT!!!!! A DWARF!!!!!!" the kid screamed, and gave InuYasha a straight right-hand to the face and sending him flying twenty feet across the platform. Even after his head hit the floor, he skidded several more meters. People were looking at Edward like he was some kind of crazed maniac, and for all they knew, he was.

"YOW!" InuYasha gasped, trying to pull himself up. "It feels like I was hit by Ginkotsu, like back when we fought the Band of Seven."

"That's what you get for calling Ed 'short.' You were lucky he just hit you once with that right arm of his," the suit of armor said softly, walking over to InuYasha and helping him to his feet. "I'm Alphonse Elric, and this is my big brother Edward."

"You mean _you're_ the younger brother? Wow, what happened?" Kagome asked him.

"Let's just say that Ed and I went through some changes in the past several years," Al whispered to her. "We'll explain fully when we're not in such a highly populated area."

"I'm sure you've noticed there's no platform 9¾, but rest assured, there is one," Negi told them, walking over to one of the columns. "Simply lean against this barrier, and you'll be sent right to the platform," he finished, walking over to the wall. With his luggage securely tucked under his arms, Negi put his weight against the wall, and disappeared, as though he had melted into the wall itself. Making sure nobody was looking, everyone followed suit. Al had a little trouble when it was his turn, but with a little effort, he was finally able to squeeze through the barrier.

On the other side of the barrier, they found themselves on a large platform where a splendid red and black steam engine stood waiting. It had a large red coal tender in back, along with three large coaches. There was a small sign on the engine's side and front reading, "Hogwarts Express." "I should tell you all," Takamichi said as they walked up to the train, "It will take a good 7 to 8 hours to arrive at Hogwarts, but it'll pass just like that, so along the way, you should take the opportunity to enjoy the scenery."

"All aboard!" called the conductor and stepped on board the brake-coach.

In no time at all, everyone had boarded the train and settled themselves into the compartments along the corridors of the coaches. Once everyone was settled in, the engine blew its whistle and puffed out of the station in a great cloud of steam.

* * *

You guys have been very supportive and have made me very happy. This fic is approaching its 500th hit in less than one month, and that's an accomplishment as far as I'm concerned. To thank you, I'm currently working on a series of "Special Chapters" to add at certain / "special" points in the storyline, featuring elements of horror, action, fanservice, comedy, etc. After my next update in two days, it'll be time for the first Special Chapter, courtesy of the Grominator. And take my word for it: this is going to a ride that no one will ever forget, especially InuYasha. Why? You'll find out soon enough.


	10. Chapter 9: One SWEET Ride

Disclaimer: After writing this, I wish I owned Harry Potter material.

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I may have said too much last time, but this _is_ the beginning of incident to come. But first, a little comic relief with the help of some very special sweets. I've always been a fan of the theatrics, so I'm implementing the "calm before the storm" element in this chap. Hope you like it.

* * *

One SWEET Ride

The first hour of the trip passed very quickly. InuYasha and Kagome sat alone in their compartment on the last car, watching the gorgeous scenery rush by them. Before long, Kagome's stomach began to growl like a ravenous wolf. "I'm starting to get hungry, InuYasha."

"Yeah, I figured that," InuYasha said, covering his ears.

"We can fix that!" Takamichi said, poking his head in. He had with him a plump old lady pushing a food cart loaded with sweets neither of them had ever seen before.

"Anything from the trolley, dears?" the lady asked sweetly.

"Why eat instant noodles when you can take your taste-buds on a journey, just like yourselves? These wizard sweets are incredible. Don't worry, anything you order is on me," Takamichi said with a grin.

"Well, you don't have to tell me twice. We'll have two of everything," said an excited InuYasha.

"InuYasha, at the first sign of sweets, you decide to just pig out. You and Shippo are more alike than you think," said Kagome smugly.

"Feh! Don't compare me to that infantile shrimp! It ruins my appetite," InuYasha told her, taking an armful of candy and laying it out on the seat. "Come on, let's eat."

And so it went on. Nobody wanted to miss out on anything from the trolley of sweets. By the time the last piece of candy was given out, the cart was empty.

Normally, InuYasha was a huge fan of sweets, but this was not his day. At one point, InuYasha ate a bacon-flavored jellybean out of a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans (when they said every flavor, they meant every flavor), which he loved and started shoveling the beans one after another into his mouth, including salmon, chocolate, baked beans, and steak. That is, until he got vomit-flavored one and vomited it and all the good stuff out the window, then ate a white bean out of the box, which turned out to be soap, and his mouth began to foam up, at which Kagome started laughing hysterically. "Mad dog!" she giggled. Then Kagome ate a black Pepper Imp and coughed up a fireball right in InuYasha's face, setting his hair on fire and blackening his face. She also got a liver-flavored bean, finally recognizing the taste of the cold medicine InuYasha had given her a good few months ago. Naturally, she got upset that InuYasha never told her what it was and made him "Sit!"

Edward and Alphonse were sitting in the middle car. Being a suit of armor, Alphonse couldn't eat, so he just watched what happened when the others ate theirs, and laughed at the results with the others. How he wished he could experience the rush of tasting those amazing sweets. That changed a bit, however, when Edward ate a brown jellybean and was so repulsed by the flavor that he tore it from his mouth and chucked it out the window. "What was that?" he yelled, checking the extensive flavor list on the back of the box. "Dirt-flavored!!? EEEEEEWW!!" He started smashing his head against the wall in his haste to get rid of the taste, screaming the word "Dirt!!" with every smash. Then Al checked the box and told Ed that he had actually gotten earthworm-flavor instead. Ed's face blanched, and he dove for the nearest thing to force down his throat, which turned out to be chocolate frog, which literally hopped down his throat as soon as he ripped open the package and nearly choked him half-to-death, causing Al to double up in a roar of laughter.

In the first car, Negi ate an enchanted custard cream and turned into a giant canary – causing everyone around him to jump, and then laugh themselves half-to-death – with Negi joining in the laughter after he lost all his feathers and turned back to normal. Everyone was steering clear of Evangeline, however. She and Chachamaru were alone in their compartment. The girl had ordered all the blood lollipops for herself – being a vampire, she must have enjoyed the taste of blood in candy-form.

Everyone was having the time of their lives. Little did they know, however, it wasn't going to last, because there was trouble brewing up ahead.

* * *

I hope you all found it amusing enough because I pulled out all the stops on this one. I'm sure this is worth a good review or two.

* * *

The first Special Chapter comes in in three days. It's a long one, so PREPARE YOURSELVES for a thriller, because again, this is only the calm before the storm, and it's gonna be a flat-out hurricane.


	11. Special Chapter 1: Unexpected Detour

Surprise! Just kidding about the three days thing. Special Chapters don't apply to my whims / self-given deadlines, so expect the unexpected when a S.C. is announced.

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Disclaimer: I own nothing, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm going to do as I like with my writing.

* * *

Thanks for the review, but I'm afraid I can't satisfy your request. Yeah, I can be a _little_ bit sadistic, but I know these guys can take it. I won't go too far. I also have a habit of talking some things _REALLY_ slow, so the arrival isn't for another chapter and the living temporary living arrangements are decided when we meet the teachers. I can't bring everyone together just yet, but the Naruto group will have re-entered the story before the students arrive. First, Negi and InuYasha have to qualify as teachers and the Harry Potter gang has to return to Hogwarts. But for now, enjoy my first Special Chapter which happens to be my longest chapter yet. Plus, first chapter with magic (Translations at the end)!

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Key:

"(_Italics_)" - Spell Incantations

* * *

Unexpected Detour

The Hogwarts Express puffed through the countryside, its pistons pumping and its wheels pounding the rails, clouds of smoke and steam billowing from its funnel into the cold air. They were going well; the weather was perfect and the signals along the track shone green as they passed. The arms were down, showing line clear, and the light shone through the green panel opposite the arm. This way, if the signal moved, the color would change.

Back in the coaches, Negi was getting restless, but it wasn't the sugar rush from the candy. He had never ridden on a steam train before. He wanted to go up and see the engine. "Excuse me, everyone. I think I'll take a walk," he whispered at last. "Stretch my legs."

He stood up slowly, careful not to disturb Nodoka, who had fallen asleep and was resting her cute little head on his shoulder. He gently lowered her head down to the seat, tiptoed out of the compartment and closed the door quietly, careful not to wake the sleeping Nodoka and the snoozing Konoka, who was resting her head in Setsuna's lap.

When he got to the engine, he found the driver and fireman to be quite the friendly pair. They invited Negi into the cab. They treated Negi like a curious little boy, but Negi didn't mind, because he was; he was fascinated by all the controls in the engine. As Negi watched through the little window on the side of the cab, he saw a long stretch of track ahead, and a thick forest coming up alongside.

* * *

Just ahead of them, all was not well. From deep within the trees, a dark hand protruded and made a long sweeping motion. The nearby points to an old track leading into the forest changed and the signal arm a short distance before it dropped. The figure had already disabled the enchanted signal box ahead. Spells had been cast upon the signal box to make it run on its own, changing the points based on a specific timetable, and changing the signals accordingly. However, this being's range wasn't enough to reach all the essential signals, but at least this way, the engineers wouldn't suspect anything. With a cackle, the figure retreated into the cover of the trees. "Now for Phase Two."

* * *

It was beginning to get dark; the sun was beginning to set. Suddenly, the driver saw a yellow (distant) signal ahead. A yellow signal meant to prepare to stop at the next signal, the home signal, so he prepared to shut off steam, but the home (stop) signal was down. With these signals, known as semaphore signals, down means go and horizontal means stop, so this meant the line ahead was clear.

"Well sir?" Negi asked. "Is everything okay?"

"Don't worry," he said. "There must be a mistake, perhaps someone needs to check the signal box to make sure the spells aren't weakening. I'll tell them about it at the station. Anyway, the line's all clear, mate. Away we go!" he said to the fireman and turned the steam on full. But they couldn't know that the points ahead had a spell placed on them and the signal should have been set at "Danger," but the spell had forced it down.

And with that, the engine reached the points and rolled over the crossing to the old track into the woods. Negi thought it was odd that they were being diverted from the main line, but said nothing. _If something is wrong, they'd know._

* * *

"Hm hm hm hm. Good, good," the figure laughed in a low voice as he watched the train turn down the forgotten line, and turned to his associates. "Now go, my pets and attack." Several menacing, black, cloaked figures slowly glided away towards the end of the track, everything in their path instantly freezing. "Lord Fate and Master Naraku will be pleased."

* * *

Meanwhile, back on the train, Negi was starting to get anxious. They had been going down the old line for several minutes now and the engineers didn't seem to care. _I've got a bad feeling about this,_ he thought.

Suddenly, the train halted all at once. Everyone was bumped and thrown around like peas in a frying pan. Negi pulled himself to his feet shakily. _What happened?_ A chill ran up and down his spine and cold sweat trickled down his face. The air had gone cold all of a sudden. The windows were clouding up, and before long, everything was as cold as ice. Negi was overcome with an intense sense of dread.

Then there was trouble.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!"

"What was that?!" Negi exclaimed. He could see his breath now.

"Negiiiiiii! Help!!!" This time, the scream was closer.

"Oh no!" Negi cried. "That was Konoka." He dashed back to the coaches. Screams were erupting everywhere along the train.

"Hey, Neg!" Chamo yelled over the noise, popping out of Negi's coat pocket. "Doesn't all this seem familiar to you?"

"I was just thinking that Chamo. This reminds me of what I read about 'dementors.' This isn't good," Negi answered. He pointed his staff down the corridor and shouted, "_Expecto Patronum!_" A silvery-white ermine burst from the tip and zipped along the corridor in the direction where the screams came from. "I hope it gets there in time," he prayed, chasing after it.

* * *

When he finally arrived in the first passenger car, the young wizard found Takamichi and the Patronus facing off with the first one, pushing it back towards the last window. "Takamichi, the window!" he called.

"I'm on it!" he answered and, dodging the dementor's skeletal hands and putting his hands in his pockets, used his Iai-ken to break the window open, just in time for the Patronus to force the creature through the window and into the dark and misty night. The iai was traditionally a sword technique in which the sword is drawn, the enemy is slain, and the sword is sheathed all in the same movement, but Takamichi had developed a variation of the technique using the pockets of his suit jacket. He did it so fast and so well that it seemed as though his hands never moved an inch from his pockets, creating punches and shockwaves undetectable by the naked eye. It was this fearsome attack-style that gave Takamichi his nicknames back at Mahora: Death Specs, and the Laughing Grim Reaper, as he often went in to quell street brawls between students with a light-hearted chuckle. Every delinquent feared him, and everyone respected him, except maybe Evangeline. To her, he was just an annoyance sometimes, but he _was_ a teacher, so that was essentially his job.

Chamo jumped down from Negi's shoulder and pointed to where the other ermine had gone. "Don't stop, Brother. We've got to follow the Patronus. There's more dementors about. I can smell it."

"Right behind you," Negi said and darted after Chamo with Takamichi close behind. _We've come too far. We can't lose anyone now!_

On and on they went, saving more victims and forcing more dementors from the train. There were more than he could've expected.

* * *

It was the most horrible thing anyone had ever seen. All of a sudden the lights go out and in less than a minute, a ten-foot-tall, dark, hooded figure had appeared in the doorway, and as soon as it drew a breath, all happy thoughts had left InuYasha's head, making him feel like he would relive his most horrible experiences for the rest of his life. Kagome was even worse. One second earlier, she was fine, and next thing he knew, Kagome had fainted, not even getting the chance to take the bow from her bag, let alone squeeze off a shot.

InuYasha didn't need to be told that this creature was bad news, but he had no time to worry see to Kagome. This thing reeked of death and rotting flesh. He roared and quickly drew and extended the Tetsusaiga's blade and pushed the thing back into the corridor. There wasn't much room to move around, so InuYasha's ability to use Tetsusaiga was limited. He already knew he couldn't use the Wind Scar, or else everyone would die. What InuYasha saw next made him sick to his stomach. A pair of hands had emerged from within the folds of the cloak. They were shriveled-up, scabbed, and slimy-looking, like a decayed corpse. _Now I see what that smell was._ The hands began to rise towards the hood, as if meaning to remove it.

"No way I'm seeing that," InuYasha snarled and swung Tetsusaiga down, slicing one of its hands clean off. But that wasn't the end of it. The creature recoiled, but quickly recovered and reached down, picking up its severed hand and putting it back on, the dead skin cells fusing together and the hand was as good as new – but not literally. "Oh man, that makes my skin crawl," he groaned.

But there was worse to come. The creature removed its hood. InuYasha wanted to puke, but he couldn't tear his gaze away from the monstrosity that he saw before him. The face was even more disgusting and horrifying than the hands. The thing had no eyes or nose and a gaping maw for a mouth. But InuYasha had no time to flinch, as the thing's hands grabbed him by the head, the skin feeling like rotten meat on his cheeks and neck. It lifted the demonic youth off his feet. InuYasha was beginning to panic. His sword was useless against this thing, and the closer he got to it, the more he could feel an intense cold rushing through his chest, going through his heart, and up his esophagus – but before it got any worse, it ended. The cold, dead hands released his face and he hit the floor, hard.

Barely conscious, InuYasha lifted his head, but all he saw was a small white ermine chasing the creature out the window and the thing flying away and back into the dark forest.

Before he could recover, the ermine disappeared in a puff of white smoke. _Good! There better not be anymore of those monstrosities! _InuYasha thought before blacking out.

* * *

Negi arrived just in time to see InuYasha's head hit the floor, with Takamichi at his heels. He ran over and turned the body over and looked into InuYasha's eyes, and let out a sigh of relief. "He's still alive, and his soul is intact as well."

"Whew!" Takamichi gasped, slamming the windows shut and slumping to the ground in exhaustion. He reached into his breast pocket and took out a pack of cigarette, put one in his mouth, lit it, and took a long breath. "That was horrible. I never saw this coming. Who knew there were such horrors in this world?" he sighed.

"Tell me about it," Negi panted. "I've read about dementors before, but I never thought I'd see one, or in this case, five. Good thing I taught myself that spell just in case, or we would all have suffered a fate worse than death."

"What do you mean, Negi?" Chamo breathed, walking up to Negi and stopping at his feet.

"Dementors don't kill you. No. It's much, much worse. If they manage to capture you, they clamp their mouths over yours and suck out your soul."

Chamo went whiter than a ghost. "Say WHAT?!! You mean – "

"Yep, you end up a soul-less hunk of flesh and bone for the rest of eternity. But enough of that now," Negi said, mopping his brow with a handkerchief. "How are the girls? We need to check on them."

Takamichi and Negi went back to the first car and opened the compartment door.

The entire area was in disarray. Baggage lay everywhere. Nodoka and Setsuna had fainted, and Asuna seemed unharmed, but was shivering from head to toe, the bells in her hair ringing without stop. Konoka was cradling Setsuna's head in her lap, trying to revive her. She looked up. "Negi!" She sprang up and hugged him tightly. "What was that thing?! I thought we were all going to…to –"

"It's okay, Konoka. It's okay," Negi soothed her, rubbing her back gently. He pulled back and said, "How's Setsuna?"

"She fainted as soon as she saw that … that thing."

"I was afraid of that," Negi sighed and slowly picked up Setsuna and Nodoka and held them close as he closed his eyes. His staff floated up from the ground and he said, "_Rennervate_!"

With a gasp, Setsuna's eyes shot open. Breathing hard, she relaxed and edged back. Nodoka eye's opened slowly. She got quite a shock from seeing Negi's face so close to hers. She turned bright red and hugged Negi as tight as she could. She'd never been so scared in her life.

"Setsuna!" Konoka cried happily, her eyes filled with tears, and embraced her friend as tightly as she could, nearly tackling her to the floor, rubbing their cheeks together. "I thought I'd lost you," she sobbed.

Setsuna's face was beet red and she was so stunned, she didn't know what to do or say, but she quickly recovered and simply started gently stroking Konoka's long brown hair.

Negi smiled. He was glad no one was badly hurt. But then, the damage done by dementors is more emotional than physical. They make people relive their most painful memories. The question was, what kind of memories were his girls hiding? That such a strong girl as Setsuna was affected worried him immensely.

He reached into a pocket of his suit and pulled out a large slab of chocolate and with a loud SNAP started breaking it into pieces. He handed pieces of chocolate to each of the girls, making sure that they ate it. Chocolate always helped with the after-affects of a dementor attack, and helps restore the feeling of warmth to the body.

The boy walked up and down the train, passing chocolate around and checking on the rest of the victims. He found and had to revive several more unconscious victims, but everyone still had their souls intact. Among them were Edward Elric and Evangeline. He didn't know what kind of experience haunted Edward so, but Evangeline, he could understand. While it wasn't all that terrible a memory, the memory of the day Negi's father defeated her continued to haunt her every single day. He had dug a hole and when she fell in, simply filled it with garlic and scallions, which even a High Daylight Walker like herself had a dislike of, and when she refused to be good for the rest of her eternal life, he put a chaos curse on her that confined her to Mahora Academy for 15 years. It was only because of a certain pactio she had made recently that she was able to leave the campus barrier.

When he was sure that everyone was okay, he went back to the engine to check on the engineers.

What he found in the cab made his heart sink. The driver, fireman and conductor were all lying dead on the ground, split in half, a pool of blood and foam forming around them. This time it was Negi's turn to scream. "AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH! NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

Takamichi and Asuna came running and surveyed the damage. Asuna led Negi away as Takamichi gently took the bodies and laid them beside the track. "We can give these three a proper burial later," he said gravely. "Now we need to worry about how to get to Hogwarts without an engine crew."

"We'll have to do it, Takamichi."

"Huh?" he said as he turned around.

Negi was standing behind him, looking down with a solemn yet sure expression on his face. "While I was in the cab with them, I was able to observe how some of the controls work. I think I know enough to get us back on the main track. But I'll need your help, Takamichi. I can't do both jobs myself."

"And I wouldn't expect you to either, Negi. You truly never cease to amaze. Ever since I saw your match with Jack back in the home world, I've never doubted your abilities, not even once," Takamichi smiled, taking off his suit jacket and rolling up his sleeves. "You're right, Negi. We don't want everyone to worry, so we should do what we can to get to our destination. Asuna, please relay the message to the others, but try to keep them calm," he told her and handed her his jacket. "Negi, lets get to work."

* * *

Negi and Takamichi were true to their word. In less than an hour, Negi had gotten a feel for the mechanics of the engine, and thanks to Evangeline's Age-Change Illusion Spell, he could actually reach the controls. And with Takamichi shoveling coal from the big tender into the furnace and working the water injector to transfer water from the tender to the boiler, they soon had a roaring fire going. With a great WHEESH of steam, Negi shunted the train backwards down the track until they reached the junction. It is dangerous for tender engines to go fast backwards, especially with full trains behind them, so Negi had to be very careful and go slowly. This would make them even later, but Negi knew that they were better safe than sorry. When they reached the fork in the track, Negi got out and inspected the points. The switches were pressed up against each other so hard he was astounded that they weren't jammed. "I see," he said quietly. "A spell has been placed on these points to divert us from the main track. That means trouble." With a complicated bit of magic, Negi managed to remove the enchantment and with a little effort, he threw the switch, changing the points back to the main line towards Hogwarts.

In no time, they were back on the right track (literally). It would take a little while longer than intended, but everyone would get to Hogwarts in one piece. Still, one thing bothered Negi. _If dementors don't kill, then what DID kill the engineers?_

"Oh well," Negi sighed. "At least now we're away and in the clear."

But they weren't.

Soon they reached the viaduct, a high stone bridge that spanned over a deep valley with a surging river at the center. Suddenly, the train shook violently and began to slow down. In the cab, Negi and Takamichi could hear the bridge quivering beneath them. Sometimes all it took was a little shake, rattle and jostle to derail a train, but fortunately, the train stayed firmly on the track.

"What've you done now, Negi?" Asuna yelled from the first car.

"It's not me, Asuna!" Negi protested. "There's something wrong. Suddenly the fire has gone down and everything is going cold again. This cab should be hot from the fire, but there's no heat. And this is Welsh coal, too, which is ideal, since this engine's firebox is pretty small." Engines with small fireboxes often required special Welsh coal to produce the appropriate heat to make steam.

"Chamo, can you go up top and see what the problem is?" he asked.

"Sure thing, bro," Chamo said with a salute and getting down on all fours, he ran up the wall and out the window to the cab roof. His fur stood up. "DEMENTORS! IN THE DOUBLE DIGITS! AT 6 O'CLOCK AND CLOSING FAST!!"

"Don't they ever give up," Takamichi groaned. He was sweating bullets from shoveling so fast, trying to keep the fire going, but it was dying fast. If they didn't get rid of the dementors soon, the fire would go out and they would have to wait until it was built up again to continue on. "Negi, can you take care of it?

"Come on, Old Faithful! Don't you fail us now," he whispered to the engine under his breath.

"Don't worry," Negi yelled and scrambled to the cab roof. He was immediately hit by a gust of wind and was nearly blown off. He caught the edge of the roof and looked over the side. They were hundreds of meters above the ravine, and it was so dark, Negi couldn't see the bottom. A fall from here would be fatal to even him, and Negi would die before letting this be the next entry on the already extensive list of UK railway accidents. He had to protect his students and his friends at all costs. "Urgh!" he grunted as he fought to regain his footing. _I'll have to put up a wind barrier around me to prevent me from losing my footing again_. He held up his staff and closed his eyes. A moment later, he only felt a light breeze; his barrier was up at full strength and working perfectly.

Looking back, Negi began to whirl his staff over his head. He saw them; 1, 2, 3 … 20 dementors coming at them all at once from the rear. They were almost to the last car on the train. _This won't be easy_, Negi thought. _But I think I can pull it off_. "_EXPECTO PATRONUM_," he roared over the howl of the wind rushing past, slamming the end of his staff onto the roof. A huge cloud of white smoke appeared around him, and from it arose a silver ermine Patronus, then another, and another, and another, and then another until there were 20 of them. "_Contra Pugnent_!" he commanded, and they all rushed the dementors in waves, forcing them back, and out of sight. "Whew," he gasped as he let down his barrier and clambered down through the window and into the safety of the cab. "That's it. I think they're gone for good now."

In no time at all, the fire was burning well again and they had a full head of steam. The engine picked up speed once more. Asuna noticed and went up to the engine. "Good going, Negi."

"Thank you," Negi panted. The ordeal had left him wiped out. Not only had he used a good deal of magic in the past minute, as conjuring more than one patronus at once, let alone 20, used up more than a little bit of magic and took intense concentration and focus. To add to that, the wind had knocked the wind out of him. "How is everyone?" When he'd gotten his breath back, he walked from coach to coach, checking on the other passengers.

Kagome wasn't doing so well. She was trembling from head to toe, cuddled up in a corner, whispering to herself. When the dementor had appeared before her, she suffered not only a collapse, but experienced the very distressing memory of when she learned of her father's death. Less than a year ago, her father had been in a car accident while he was away on business in the US, which resulted in the death of a civilian. He had been distraught over it, and didn't even resist imprisonment, lamenting his sin greatly. Kagome and her family had prayed for his eventual release, but just as her father had been offered parole for good behavior a few months ago, he died from an unexpected heart attack. As she was passing out, Kagome had heard what she swore sounded like her father calling out to her as he died. He had never had a chance to say "Goodbye" to his baby girl.

Setsuna wasn't doing much better. Strong willed as she was, she still had traumas in her past. One time when she and Konoka were little, Konoka slipped and fell in a river in Kyoto and nearly drowned, and Setsuna had been powerless to save her. She still regretted her inability to rescue her most precious friend on her own, and for the longest time afterward, stayed separated from her in order to focus on her kendo training, but ever since they met again in Middle School at Mahora Academy, it became harder to maintain that wall of separation, and then Professor Springfield came along … Setsuna couldn't help but think that that had played a part in the re-sparking of their relationship. Somehow, Setsuna couldn't help but feel that it was better this way. Everybody was happier this way.

Neither Kagome nor Setsuna was ready to talk about their pasts with everyone just yet, but they both knew that the time would have to come soon.

Edward was feeling the same way. He could well remember what happened when he and Al had tried to revive their mother using alchemy and lost their bodies. Al had lost his entire body, and Ed lost his left leg, but he somehow managed to sacrifice his right arm to bond Al's soul to an old suit of armor that happened to be nearby. He'd barely managed to save his brother, the only family he had left, and now all he wanted was to get their bodies back to normal, although secretly, Edward kind of liked his metal arm and leg; much more durable than flesh, and much more useful in battle, but once he didn't need to fight anymore, he'd give anything to get his real body back to the way it was meant to be.

* * *

Spell Translation:

_Expecto Patronum_ - "I await a protector."

_Rennervate_ - "To energize"

_Contra Pugnent_ - Intercept and Attack

* * *

I hope you liked it. Especially my new and improved patronus charm. I've yet to decide, but I'm thinking to the next two or three chapters at the same time, since they're a bit short. What do you think? Tell me what you think and I'll make a decision within a couple of days.


	12. Chapter 10: Arrival

Disclaimer: I don't own Negima!, Harry Potter, Naruto, Fullmetal Alchemist or InuYasha, but I still wish I did.

* * *

Although I wasn't planning on it initially, due to repeated requests, I have added a second part to this chapter at the last minute, dedicated to Naurto. Unfortunately, they're a long way away from Hogwarts and won't be back for a while. Just try to grin and bear it until then. For now, just try and enjoy what I've got for you.

* * *

Arrival

The time passed quickly. The midnight hour was approaching, and the moon was high in the sky and shining brightly, lighting their way. Soon, Ed looked out the window and saw a huge castle looming ahead, but no one else seemed to notice. "Hey Al. Give me a boost. I'm going up top. I'll send them the message the best way I know how."

So Al did as he was told, and swung Ed out the window and up onto the roof of the moving train-car where he landed with a loud THUNK. _Hope this works,_ he thought as he walked to the center of the car, clapped his hands together and slapped them down on the roof. Back inside the car, a weird-looking loudspeaker popped out of the wall of the corridor with a FLOOP! It even had a small set of eyes and a miniature pigtail just like his. Ed jumped to the next car and did the same until he had formed a loudspeaker in every single car. _Whew. Major Hughes wasn't kidding when he said there was an art to train-walking._

Finally, Ed slapped his hands to the first car again, and drew a small microphone from the roof of the car. Clearing his throat, he spoke into it, "Attention all passengers, attention! This is your new Conductor speaking. If you look out your windows, you'll see Hogwarts castle coming up to your right. Please finish your sweets, grab your bags, and get ready to disembark, 'cause we'll be there in a matter of minutes. Thank you, watch the gap as you leave the train and have a nice day."

Back in the Ed and Al's compartment, Al slapped his forehead so hard, his helmet almost came off. "Oh, Ed. How lame can you get?"

"Ah CHOO!" Ed sneezed. _Someone must be talking about me. Rrr. I hope it's not Mustang, that bastard._ With that done, he slapped his hands on the roof again, and the loudspeakers all disappeared, as did the microphone. "Now, just one more thing."

He walked carefully along the cars to the tender, and timing his moment, jumped over the coal section to the top of the cab. Lying flat on his belly, he lowered his head to look in the window at Negi. "Nyah," he stuck out his tongue at him.

"Hey, what's that for?!" said Negi indignantly, with a look on his face that said, "I don't get it!"

"Big castle coming up on the right. I give it a good five minutes," Ed told him, still hanging upside down, blood slowly filling his head, which now looked like a giant, ripe cherry.

"Why didn't you say so in the first place?" Takamichi laughed. "And pull your head up. You're getting totally flushed."

When Ed straightened up, he felt much better, too little too fast. His face went pale for a moment and he nearly passed out, but caught himself at the last minute. When he had regained his balance, he made his way back.

"Well, I think that went well," he said, swinging himself through the window and back into his compartment.

"I wonder what it'll be like teaching alchemy here, brother," Alphonse said as Ed settled into his seat again.

"We'll know in about a week. That's when the term starts."

About five minutes later, Negi shut off steam and screwed the brake hard–on, bringing the train to a complete stop at just the right place. He had timed their stop just right, with the engine positioned just beyond the platform. "Not bad for a first time, huh?" Negi had to ask himself out-loud. He was most pleased with himself. He threw a heavy lever and the hot contents of the firebox were dropped through a special hatch under the engine. Once Negi had dispelled the illusion, he scrambled out of the cab with Takamichi and joined their friends on the platform. Their nice suits were now dirty and covered in coal dust. Asuna was in hysterics, and Konoka started giggling uncontrollably when she saw Negi's filthy face smiling at her. Chachamaru ran forward and began wiping Negi's face clean, while Takamichi took a handkerchief out of his pocket and started cleaning his own face. Nothing could be done about their suits, which were beyond help at the moment. As they turned to leave, a small but sturdy orange diesel arrived to pull the engine and the empty coaches away.

They were all just about to exit the platform together when a voice from above cried, "KAGOME!!!!"

Kagome looked up, and saw a face she hadn't seen in weeks. Shippo slowly floated down towards the platform, in his pink, crazy–eyed balloon form. "Shippo!!" Kagome called, waving to her little friend as he undid the transformation and dropped down into her open arms. "Shippo, you're here!" Kagome cried with delight, holding him tight. "I guess the spell worked, then."

"Sure did!" Shippo sobbed happily, hugging Kagome's bosom as hard as he could. "We're all here, including Koga and Ayame. The trip was amazing. The people at the castle have been so kind to us. They've already started teaching Sango, Miroku and me to use magic. When I saw the train coming, I sent a signal to the castle. They should all be waiting for you now. WOAH!!"

Shippo was torn from Kagome's arms by InuYasha, who grabbed the little fox by his bushy tail and growled, "Why'd they have to send **you** here, Shippo?"

"WILL YOU LET GO OF ME YOU RABID DOG?!!" Shippo screamed in InuYasha's face, but before InuYasha could give Shippo his usual dose of lumps, Negi's students ran over and started cuddling Shippo like a bunch of overexcited school girls, because they _were_ overexcited school girls. Evangeline was the only one who didn't start grabbing at him and hugging him or squeezing and pulling his tail; she always thought herself above that kind of amorous conduct. In only five minutes, Shippo got more hugs than he'd had in his entire 50-year lifetime.

When everyone had taken their hands off Shippo, he turned into a bird and led the group down a dark, winding path that led them up to a large gate. "Come on, you guys. Everyone's been so worried when the train didn't come when it was supposed to. What happened?"

"You probably wouldn't believe us if we told you," Kagome giggled.

"This gate is the entrance to the grounds. They should've received my message by now and should be sending someone to open the gate for us," Shippo said, flapping around above their heads.

"The Hell with that. I ain't waiting for nobody," InuYasha said, and tried to leap over the gate, but got zapped like an insect and repelled by a magical barrier. He landed heavily on the moist grass flat on his back, twitching. His body was smoking, and his fingers were in a rather familiar position.

"It's not that simple, InuYasha," he heard Miroku say as he looked up and saw the young monk walk up to the gate. "Sango tried that with Kirara and got repelled too. Here, let me." He held out his staff and tapped the lock. There was a slight clicking sound and the door swung open to let them in. "You guys sure took your time getting here.

"Welcome, friends, to Hogwarts."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Meanwhile -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kakashi's team of ninja sped through England, jumping from rooftop to rooftop. This was a huge difference from traveling by trees. To do this, a ninja's stealth skills were essential, in order to avoid being detected by the people below.

"Hey, Sensei!" Naruto called over the howling wind. "Where the heck are we anyway?"

"Yeah, Kakashi. What gives?" Guy demanded of his rival. "There isn't a castle around for miles. Wasn't a castle mentioned in the mission docs you received from Lady Hokage?"

"You're right, Guy," Kakashi sighed. "That portal jutsu was still experimental, so it wasn't perfect. I'm just glad we all ended up here together. Since they're the most inconspicuous people among us, I asked Hinata and Sakura to ask around and find out where we are. We're in Bristol, England. The place we need to go is in Scotland, which is roughly about 400 miles West of North. It'll take us several days to get there now. Personally, I think we're lucky."

"What do you mean?" Choji spoke up. "How was this lucky?"

"Choji, you just don't get it," Shikamaru said lazily. "If it had gone wrong, we could've ended up in another dimension or something."

"Urk!" said Naruto. He was so shocked he cleanly missed a landing and landed in a split on a solid–brick–and–cement roof. Lee started laughing so hard, he made the same mistake in the middle of a jump and ended up right next to Naruto, in the same position. Tears were streaming down both their faces as they jumped up and started hopping around, holding their lower-regions, moaning like little girls.

This brought everyone to a halt. Giant sweat drops started forming on everyone's heads. After two full minutes of watching, Sakura lost her temper and stopped them with a couple of well-aimed punches to the head. "Oh, shut up and suck it up already you idiots."

"Ha, Lee," Guy sighed heavily, walking over and draping an arm around his protégé's shoulders. "What _am_ I going to do with you? I seriously thought you were above all the idiotic mistakes. LET THIS BE A LESSON TO YOU TO BE MORE CAREFUL!" He sucker punched Lee, sending him spiraling head-first all the way to the next building, leaving everyone wide-eyed with super-deformed, shocked expressions on their faces.

For several minutes, everyone just stared at Guy until Lee finally stood up and yelled at the top of his voice, "I'M SORRY, GUY-SENSEI! I PROMISE I'LL NEVER SCREW UP AGAIN!!"

But before he could say anymore, Kakashi appeared at his side and forced him down to the ground. "Are you crazy or something? You want everyone down below to hear us?" he whispered fiercely into the young man's ear. "Remember, a ninja is a stealth warrior. The moment he lets his presence be known to the enemy is the instant he loses the battle. What if our enemies were on the street below us? You'd be giving away our position without even realizing it."

This made Lee close his mouth instantly. "I'm sorry. I'll be quiet from now on. I swear on my Leaf headband!"

"Good man," Kakashi answered him, pulling Lee to his feet again and giving the signal for all the others to follow. With that, they set off again, speeding towards Scotland, and hopefully, fewer urban areas.

* * *

When will Lee learn? Anyway, next time is the fallout of the attack on our heroes, and the fate of their would-be assassin will be decided. Coming tomorrow: Fate and Naraku's Displeasure! See you there!


	13. Chapter 11: Fate & Naraku's Displeasure

Disclaimer: I don't own ... oh you get the idea. Let's get on with the damn thing.

* * *

In this chapter, we get another look at our villians at last. But wait, there's a little unrest among their ranks. Let's see how it plays out.

* * *

Fate & Naraku's Displeasure

Meanwhile, their would-be assassin was not fairing so well. Not only had he failed to kill his master's enemies once, but they had slipped through his fingers a second time. _Master Naraku and Lord Fate will not be pleased_, the demon thought in despair.

And quite right they weren't. They were most displeased.

Fate and Naraku had stopped in a town they'd just annihilated. Naraku was now taking this time of stillness to break down his body and cast out the reject demons, all part of his plan to become as strong as possible. He was now just a head in the center of a huge mass of flesh and demon carcasses, but he was well aware of what was happening and he and Fate were just getting bored of watching Kanna's mirror. They had seen everything.

"Well, Naraku," Fate said, turning to his acquaintance with the same passive look as always. Even though he didn't show it, he couldn't believe Naraku could've been so atrocious-looking. "Your henchman failed, just as I predicted."

Naraku didn't answer at first. A twisted piece of flesh began to twitch and writhe until it became a hand, and a strange, mangled, twisted piece of flesh seemed to sprout from the palm. He closed the fingers around it and gave a squeeze. A quarter of the globe away, the demon died a gruesome death, clutching his chest in agonizing pain as his heart was crushed and turned to pulp in his master's hand. Then Naraku smiled. "They're much stronger than I thought. Interesting. I'm starting to enjoy this," he sneered as wolfs and coyotes began to howl and vultures began to swoop down and feast on the carcasses littering the ground around them.

"Enjoy it?" Fate echoed. "What a strange thing to say."

"You think it strange, Fate?" Naraku said in amusement.

"Excuse me, but since when were you on a first name basis with me, Naraku?" Fate questioned him with the same hint of amusement in his voice. "Need I remind you that this is strictly business and nothing more?"

"Very well then, _Lord_ Fate. Why do you find it strange that I'm enjoying the current state of affairs?"

"You just lost one of your precious incarnations. Doesn't that annoy you in the slightest? Even though he was but a mere grunt, he was one of your own. Have you no loyalty?"

"Not to weaklings," Naraku answered him simply, his eyes flashing red. "If he cannot get the job done, he is of no use to me."

"Hmph!" a young woman in a kimono snorted from beyond the door. "That wasn't your philosophy a while back, Naraku. So, why the change of heart? And what does that mean for me, Kanna and Hakudoshi? Every one of us has failed to do the job before, but of course, I doubt you would include Moryomaru in that ideology. You need him and you know it."

"Ah, Kagura," Naraku said half–heartedly. "I didn't know you were back. What's the situation?"

"Not a person to be seen for miles. Just how you like it," she scoffed.

"Indeed. Hm hm hm hm. A ha ha ha ha ha ha," Naraku cackled in his usual way. "Nothing to do but plan our next attack."

"Not so fast, Naraku," Fate interrupted him, his left hand beginning to glow. "I said that if you failed, I would decide what we do next."

After gazing lazily at his accomplice for several seconds, Naraku conceded. "So you did. Well, what do you think we should do next?"

"Hmmm, well, I say we send Mr. Harry Potter on a little trip down Memory Lane. You told me about how you left a small piece of yourself in Hell and how you can transfer yourself to Hell and back using that piece of yourself and the barrier of that miniature you … Hakudoshi, right? I suggest we wait a while until you're at full strength again, then bring back a certain someone. Perhaps he could be of some use to us."

Naraku thought for a moment, then he smirked evilly. "I like the way you think. I think _he'll_ be a perfect addition to our army. Come forth, Kanna."

A young girl with shoulder–length white hair and black eyes dressed in a white kimono stepped forward, and extended her mirror towards Naraku. Shown in the mirror was a man with a warped visage. "Do you intend to revive him?" she asked Naraku in her emotionless voice.

Naraku just laughed. "Excellent." His laugh rang out over the empty streets, scattering the scavengers and birds of prey.

Moments later, Kagura and Kanna were sitting silently outside the house they'd taken shelter in. The sky was beginning to be covered by dark clouds of miasma. Kagura scoffed. "This air is already thick with his retched miasma. Kanna, why do we keep bowing and scraping at his feet? All he does is use us. I can't stand it," she said, clenching her fist.

"Kagura?" Kanna asked slowly.

"Huh? What is it?"

"What will happen to us when Naraku doesn't need us anymore?"

The question wasn't strange, but it did catch Kagura off–guard. She did not expect this from the loyal Kanna, who always followed Naraku's orders, seemingly without a trace of free will or free thought.

"Hmph. Simple. He'll kill us," Kagura said flatly. "You know he possesses our hearts. He doesn't care about us … but that can be used to our advantage," she sneered, looking around to make sure they were alone. No saimyosho were in the air watching them. Naraku was being careless. _Perfect_.

"What … do you mean?"

"Kanna!" Kagura said curtly, her voice full of ambition. "We need to stand together. We need to look after each other."

"Huh?" the little girl inquired, the white flower in her matching white hair blowing in the light breeze.

"Naraku needs us," Kagura concluded, as though stating a fact. "We're his strength. Without us, he's weak. That's why he forces us to do his bidding. If it weren't for us, he'd have been dead a long time ago. If it weren't for him having our hearts, he'd be no stronger than InuYasha or Sesshomaru. Without him around, we could be free. But that is what he fears. That is why he can't afford to lose us.

"Dear Sister, Naraku is afraid of us," she finished firmly, putting her hand on her elder sibling's shoulder. Despite the fact that Kagura had the more–adult body, and Kanna had the body of a small albino child, Kanna was created first by Naraku, so that made her the elder sibling. "It's fortunate that this 'Fate' character doesn't let Naraku out of his sight. With him around, we might be safer than without. There may be a chance to appeal to him. Maybe … he can sever the bond between us and Naraku." _And this Negi Springfield … if what Fate says about him is true, he might very well be stronger than InuYasha … maybe even … Naraku …_

Meanwhile, Fate had separated himself from Naraku to plan his next strike. _I still don't know what Naraku's planning, but his moves are predictable, so that's not my concern right now._ He pulled a World Map out of his pocket and partially unfolded it to reveal the Eastern Hemisphere. "Hm. We'll be in China in a matter of days, and after that is Japan. Mahora Academy is an obvious target. Still, seeing as a member of Ala Rubra is stationed there, it might be dangerous to attempt. Anyway, Naraku can do what he wants, but I'm still not going to be letting him out of my sight. I don't trust him."

Then, there a faint buzzing sound. Without changing his expression, Fate pointed over his shoulder and whispered, "ВИСЮ ТаЛ ЛИ СЮТаЛ ВаНГЭИТ. KAKON O'΄MMA ПТРΩˆΣΕΩΣ." A beam shot from his fingertips and instantly turned the single saimyosho watching him to stone. It hit the ground with a crunch and shattered into thousands of tiny pieces. "Hmph," he scoffed. "Spying on me, eh? Well, no matter. This just proves he doesn't trust me either. Again, no matter. I have my ways of surveillance as well." He put one finger to his temple and opened a telepathic link with a certain comrade he maintained contact with. "I've noticed you've been following me, Tsukuyomi. I want you to keep an eye on Naraku from afar. Don't let him know you're there. Also, stay away from any large insects you find. If any see you, kill them immediately."

"Insects?" came the reply. "Fate, you're mean!"

"Shut up," he ordered. "Just do it."

"Can't I at least kill his women? I want to have some fun. And they look so … _delicious_."

"No. Just keep an eye on them too. I have my suspicions about their intentions. They might be of some use to me. Perhaps after my mission is accomplished, you can have them."

"Yes, sir." And the link was cut.

Fate let out a sigh. _That girl is going to be the death of me._ "In the meantime," he thought outloud, turning back to the map. "I'm still not sure what _HE_ is up to, but I don't trust him either. Therefore, I cannot leave any magical or spiritual hotspots intact. My first key target will be ... here," he finished, placing his finger over a small city in Western Tokyo, Karakura Town!

* * *

Spell Translations:

ВИСЮ ТаЛ ЛИ СЮТаЛ ВаНГЭИТ - Vish Tal Li Shutal Vangate (Fate's Release Key)

KAKON O'΄MMA ПТРΩˆΣΕΩΣ - Kakon Omma Petrōseōs - Evil Eye of Petrifaction

* * *

There is dissension in the ranks of Naraku's inner circle. But now, with Kanna in Kagura's corner, will her plan to achieve freedom succeed this time? And what of Fate? During the war, he used to rescue war orphans and send them off to school or take them with him. Will he take pity on their plight and protect them? What is up with Tsukuyomi, because that girl gives me chills, and _not_ the good kind! And who does he mean by "_HE_"? And WHY Karakura Town? Only time will tell!

* * *

Next chapter in three days. Will Negi be accepted as a teacher and the Head of Gryffindor House? Will they allow an alchemist to teach Transfiguration? And furthermore, will InuYasha be permitted to teach fighting? Join us next time and find out!


	14. Chapter 12: Welcome to Hogwarts

Disclaimer: I don't own right to any anime.

* * *

Time to meet the teachers of Hogwarts. It's time for our heroes to get themselves a job ... Sorry. This is a bit of an off-day for me. Hope you like it.

* * *

Welcome to Hogwarts

"Step lively everyone," Miroku called as they walked up the front steps and into the castle.

"Heh. Just listen to him," Konoka whispered to Kagome. "He sounds like an old-fashioned tour guide or something."

"WOW!!!" was all anyone could say as they walked into the castle's Great Hall. It was quintuple the size of a high school auditorium and had an enchanted ceiling that mimicked the night sky. As well as thousands of floating candles keeping the place aglow. None of them had ever seen anything like it.

"Impressive isn't it?" Miroku said as he led the gang to the long table at the end of the chamber. "I present to you, the Hogwarts faculty."

"Wait a minute, Miroku," InuYasha interrupted. "Where are Sango and the others?"

"They already went to bed. You wouldn't believe the crash course we've been given in magic in the past week. Everyone was so worn out, they couldn't stay awake."

"Koga, asleep already?" InuYasha sniggered. "He's a bigger lightweight than I thought. I can't wait to see this."

"Actually," Miroku told him. "Koga and Ayame decided to sleep out in the Dark Forest. It's more their environment. You know there are werewolves out there?

"Now then," Miroku continued, "this is the Hogwarts staff. This is Charms Master and Head of Ravenclaw House, Professor Filius Flitwick; Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House, Professor Horace Slughorn; Herbology teacher and Head of Hufflepuff House, Professor Pomona Sprout; Divination teacher, Professor Sybill Trelawney; School Nurse, Madam Pomfrey; Care of Magical Creatures teacher, Professor Rubeus Hagrid; and finally, the Headmistress of the school, Professor Minerva McGonagall," Miroku finished, gesturing toward each teacher in turn. The teachers each responded with a nod and a big smile, except for McGonagall, who continued to watch them with a very stern, piercing stare. "There are several other teachers, but I regret to say they haven't arrived yet. They'll be here within a few days of now."

The first to step forward was Negi. "It is a pleasure to meet you all. I can tell that each and every one of you is quite formidable just by looking at you. Your power is just radiating from you in waves. There's greater potential here than I predicted."

"Well, thank you for that assessment, Mr. Springfield. The Minister wrote to us ahead of time to tell us you were coming, and what will be coming to Hogwarts within a year," the tall, black- and gray-haired, elderly Headmistress said immediately. "Normally, we do not accept Ministry interference here, especially after the incident eight years ago. However, given the state of crisis the world is in, we decided to look the other way. It is only because our current Defense teacher, Professor Devons was unexpectedly killed during his vacation in the Middle East this summer that we gave in to the Minister's request in the first place."

"Thank you," Negi said with a respectful bow. "I won't ask what happened the last time the Ministry appointed someone. It must have been something bad." He turned to Takamichi, who leaned in close to listen. "It must have been Fate and Naraku who killed him. The time-sync would agree with me."

"However, the Minister also agreed that you should be put to the test. Tomorrow at noon, you will face three of us in a wizard's duel. If you are unable to hold your own, we shall leave the students' training to someone more reliable. Should you succeed, we will acknowledge you as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"Oh, I believe you will soon see that the boy is more than qualified for this job," Evangeline said a confident tone as she stepped out of the crowd and approached the table. "I've trained him myself, and I must say he is a chip off the old block. He could probably take the entire staff without breaking a sweat."

"Now, now, Master. Show them some respect," Negi pleaded, somewhat nervous from the stern look on McGonagall's face.

"There's no point, Brother," Chamo said from his shoulder. "She's not gonna stop now. She's in 'evil mode max power'."

"'Master'? You trained him?" said a shocked McGonagall.

"Most recently, yes. The curse I've taught him took down a group of Class A magical bounty hunters and demons in all of 10 seconds. Trouble is he has already begun to be consumed by the Magia Erebea."

CRASH.

"M-m-m-m-ma-ma-Magia Erebea?!!!!" the tiny Professor Flitwick squealed. He had been standing up on his chair just to see over the table, but hearing those two words was enough to send him tumbling to the floor.

"Filius!" McGonagall gasped and bent down to help him back onto his chair.

"Thank you, Minerva," the small wizard whimpered weakly as he stood up in his seat once again. "How is it possible? Nobody has seen that curse in over three centuries. How could he learn such a dreadful thing?"

"Where do you think, old man? From me! I invented the spell several centuries ago. That tell you anything?"

"If you're that old, then you must be … the Girl Queen of Darkness, the Dark Evangel!"

"That's right. I'm Vampire Evangeline, the most powerful vampire-sorceress in the world, and the boy is my second-in-command. You're lucky I'm not forcing you to grovel at our feet right now," Eva proclaimed with a great laugh.

"Master, please!" Negi pleaded. They didn't need Evangeline's ego making more trouble for them.

"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, but aren't you going to tell us what Magia Erebea is, and how you know of this girl?" Professor McGonagall asked him forcefully.

"Y-y-y-yes, of course. The Magia Erebea means 'Dark Magic.' It is a forbidden magical technique in which the user absorbs magic into his own body, to the point at which it fuses with his very soul. It can devour the user's body and soul if allowed to consume him entirely, but it increases the user's physical and magical abilities exponentially. If the boy truly has mastered it, then even if all of us came at the boy with the intent to kill, we would be beaten in an instant," he concluded, looking at Negi in awe. "And he's only ten years old."

"Well, I haven't quite mastered it yet, but I can still control it. It will take another year or so for me to fully master it, given that it doesn't consume me first," Negi said, scratching the back of his head. "I learned it solely for the sake of protecting those who are most precious to me: my students, or rather, my partners," he finished, gesturing to his students. "I had to learn it in a bit of a hurry, and I don't plan on teaching it to anyone else either. It's too dangerous. It's all thanks to Master's partially sealing the curse that the curse hasn't consumed me already." He was speaking the truth. He used the curse so many times in the Magical World that he was inches away from losing control of his own dark power.

"Too right you are, it is," Flitwick said, mopping his brow. "Minerva, a ten year old boy, with enough courage and ability to learn that horrid move deserves to be Head of Gryffindor house. He is the one best suited to the job. As for her, decades ago, I saw a few of her wanted posters. She had a bounty of six hundred million galleons on her head. If she truly did train the boy, he is in no way to be taken lightly."

"Well, it's true I did have that price on me, but I've, how do you say, softened up since then," Evangeline said, sweeping her long blond hair behind her. "You can rest assured I've evolved beyond the need to kill any longer. Just pray that I can keep my bloodlust under control. Cross me and you might lose a few pints,"

"Well, if everything you've said is true, it is undeniable that the boy is suited to the job, but this is also related to his teaching abilities as well," Hagrid interrupted.

"Hey!! Pardon my English, but you don't look like much of a teacher yourself, wide load," Asuna said loudly, stepping forward. "For your information, Negi taught at a middle school in Japan without exposing his magic to any student except us, and there were a lot more girls for him to blow it in front of, but he didn't. And despite all of us finding out, he was still able to find ways to keep his magic under wraps. As for his sense of responsibility, he risked his life to save the lives of countless people in the Magical World, including our own. We all witnessed it, for crying out loud! Not to mention in his first semester, he took our class from worst to first in the grade."

"Now, now, Asuna," Takamichi said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's true that Negi's not perfect, but he's way too smart to blab about his wizardry. When it comes to responsibility, Negi can more than hold his own as a teacher and as a hero. I wouldn't worry. He has proved himself on many an occasion. He's the son of the legendary Thousand Master after all."

"If it helps any, here's my diploma," Negi said, reaching into his backpack and pulling out a framed diploma and handed it to McGonagall. "I started a college-level magic academy at age four and graduated at age nine after a seven-year curriculum, two years early. In addition, I've achieved a bachelor's degree in teaching, in mundanes' terms, anyway."

"Mundanes?" the teachers said at once.

"As you call them, 'muggles,' or people who aren't born with magic in their blood." Negi explained. "On a side note, mundanes can learn Western magic, the kind of magic we magi specialize in, because it consists of extracting magic power from nature. Even Squibs can learn it."

Argus Filch, who was watching from the doorway, looked up at these words. It was his most desperate ambition to learn magic, just so that he could torture the students more, if nothing else.

"Well, when we decided to allow you to apply for this job, Mr. Springfield, we didn't intend on having the curriculum change so much," Professor Sprout piped in.

"Oh, not to worry, I've also mastered every spell I could find in the spell books available to me that you are known to assign to your students. Learned them all in about two weeks' time, self-taught," Negi said with a wave of his hand. "Thanks to my master's resort, I can get a day's worth of training done in a single hour, so I was able to train for two weeks while only 14 hours passed in the outside world. There's no limit to how many times you can use it. But there is a catch: once you enter the resort, you have to stay for at least 24 hours at a time. In addition to the usual teaching routine, I will be conducting special training sessions there for anyone and everyone willing to learn my level of Western Magic, including teachers and staff. Actually, the type of magic you employ is still Western Magic, but it is the lowest of levels. We must all take our powers to the next level to have the best chance of survival."

"Is that really necessary?" McGonagall asked skeptically.

"I'll leave that up to you to decide," Negi said with an innocent smile. "If you're impressed by my display of skill tomorrow, then you are welcome to train with me anytime, and I mean '_anytime_.' We can fit in days of practice between classes and on weekend days. The only drawback is that you age the same."

"I think it will be quite advisable, Professor. Eva's resort proved extremely effective when you're looking to develop new abilities in a limited amount of time," said Takamichi, one hand in his pocket. "We will eventually have to deal with the threat of Fate Averruncus and whoever else he's picked up, so we think that you'll find it'll be best to consider it. Of course, we won't let the students get involved unless they're of a certain age group and have fully grasped the danger of the situation. We would probably be better off sending the rest home and into hiding with their families, and they can pick up their educations once everything is okay. The top priority is protecting lives and teaching those willing to fight what they must know if they are to help us when the time comes."

"And if you ask me, it's better training under me than my master, because as a qualifying test for her, you have to survive for a week on Mount Everest with nothing but the clothes on your back," Negi added in a low whisper. "I wouldn't recommend it."

"Well, at least that is cleared up. I think we should wait until Potter and his friends arrive to decide. We used to think that only those at age 17 were prepared, but Potter faced incredible dangers and insurmountable odds when he was only 14. They should be here two days from now, along with the rest of our former students who have decided to be a part of this. As for the rest of what we already discussed, that can be sorted out tomorrow. Now, I think we should get to bed," McGonagall said finally. "Also, your belongings from the train are being transported here as we speak. You will have them before the morning."

"Great! I hope you don't mind if we sleep in here for the night, at least until we can make some proper lodgings for ourselves," Takamichi said, clasping his hands together.

"Leave that to us!!" Edward piped in. "Just give us two days and Al and I will whip up the perfect living space, big enough to accommodate us all and then some."

"And you are?" McGonagall said slowly, turning his way.

"Edward Elric, and this is my brother Alphonse. We're alchemists, and a couple of the best damn Transfiguration teachers you'll find," Edward said proudly, clapping his hands together and placing them on the hard-stone floor. A statue with a perfect likeness of Professor McGonagall sprouted from the floor. "How do you like it? 'Cause there's plenty more where that came from."

After looking it over carefully, Professor Sprout gave him the thumbs-up and said, "He's fine by me. I've never seen anything so…exquisite."

"I second tha'," said Hagrid, followed by Flitwick, Madam Pomfrey, and everyone else, until only McGonagall was left.

"I suppose it's unanimous, then," she decided. "You've got the job.

"I just have one more question, Mr. Springfield. What happened to your clothes, and why were you all so late."

"It's a long story and it's getting late, so we'll tell you over breakfast tomorrow," Negi smiled.

"Cool. Now, I suggest we all get to bed. We've got a big day tomorrow, Al, what with gathering the materials and whatever else we get our hands on," Ed concluded.

"Speaking of which, ladies," Miroku started with a warm smile. "Would any of you like to –"

But InuYasha slapped his hand over Miroku's mouth before he could say anymore. "Don't even think about it," he said, deadly silently into his ear. Miroku looked around. Kagome was glaring at him. "If we tell Sango, you'll regret it, and you'll know it." The monk backed off at once. His mouth was red from the slap.

_He's bad as Sango_, Miroku thought. _Never holds back_.

"Allow me to draw our beds," Negi said, raising his staff. With a flick of the wrist, he conjured up 20 sleeping bags out of thin air. "Well then, good night everyone," he said as the teachers filed out of the chamber to retire to their beds, whispering words of silent praise for Negi's handiwork. They looked pleased with his magic skill thus far although Negi swore he heard Professor Slughorn say his magic was impressive but it was a pity about his dirty face and clothes. He hadn't quite told them about the incidents on the train. Miroku didn't stay either, he snuck out too, where to, nobody knew for sure. Soon, everybody was settled into their sleeping bags, all except for InuYasha, Chachamaru and Sayo. Being a robot, Chachamaru did not need sleep and simply sat down by the wall, and Sayo, being a ghost didn't need to sleep either, so she floated out of the room to explore the castle for the night. InuYasha didn't care for such luxury, and just sat down cross-legged on a sleeping bag beside Kagome and went to sleep, the Tetsusaiga propped against his shoulder.

Meanwhile, out in the clear night air, an owl hooted and a wolf howled; the only sounds to be heard that night.

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Please R & R.

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Next update: in two days - The fallout of this night, and Negi's Magical Free-For-All. It's four against one, and Negi's gotta fight without hurting anyone.


	15. Chapter 13: Negi’s Trial

Disclaimer: I own no rights to either Harry Potter or any anime involved in this story.

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Thanks for the idea, but I've already got plans for Negi in the final battle. Still, I might just consider adding Slayers to the story. Either way, by the time the final battle comes around, everyone, students included, will be strong enough to produce some serious PWOwnage.

Anyway, today's update comes in two parts: one now, one in a couple of hours, 'cause I've got two classes today, both English. Plus, these are actually two chapters, and I didn't want to combine two chapters into one, so this is my answer to that conundrum.

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Negi's Trial

When Miroku came down to breakfast the next morning, his face was all red and swollen. One eye was almost swollen shut. "Hey, what happened to you Miroku?" Shippo asked as Miroku sat down.

"I'm bettin' he tried to sneak into Sango's bed last night and she woke up," InuYasha said out the side of his mouth, but looked away as Miroku shot him an angry look. He even got a reprimanding from Kagome for being tactless, yet no "sit" command, which made InuYasha feel even more on edge than usual. _Am I missing something_? he thought to himself.

When Madam Pomfrey arrived, she wanted to help Miroku, but Sango, who had by now arrived, prevented it by telling her that he needed to remember this pain. Maybe then he would learn his lesson.

When Negi walked up to the table, he now had two large lumps on his head. Somehow, during the night, Negi had crawled into Kagome's sleeping bag and cuddled up to her, thus earning himself a beating from InuYasha. Negi never even woke up, giving new meaning to the term "heavy sleeper." Negi had grown up without parents, but was brought up by his older sister, Nekane, who raised him like her own child. They used to share the same bed, which left Negi with the questionable habit of crawling into the bed of the girl sleeping closest to him and cuddling with her like a little baby who's just had a nightmare. It was simply a case of wrong place, wrong time, and Negi had paid for it in full – InuYasha had made sure of that.

After eating a full breakfast of eggs, sausage, and hot buttered-toast, Edward got up and left the castle to search for materials for creating a proper housing facility, Al right behind him. "What do you think we'll need, Brother?" Al asked him.

"Everything, Al. From stone to trees to water to steel, and everything in-between," Ed answered him with a big smile. "We're gonna make something everyone will be happy with, sparing no expense."

"Oh boy, I can't wait," Al said with enthusiasm as they ventured out into the nearby forest. If Al had a heart, it would have been racing right now.

Negi looked excited. He kept checking his watch every short while. Normally at Hogwarts, anything mechanical ceased to function – too much magic in the air – but Negi's watch and all of his and his students' possessions had been modified to work under such conditions. Edward Elric's arm and leg worked fine only because the circuits were connected to his very nervous system.

The anticipation of his imminent duel with the teachers that afternoon was eating away at him. He couldn't wait to show the teachers what they were missing. He had spent half the night tossing and turning in his sleep, unable to calm down. He didn't remember what happened after that, but the lumps on his head told him that he must've done something he shouldn't have while he slept.

If Negi could pass this test, he would become an official magic teacher. There was only one thing tugging at his mind. Most of the teachers he had met the previous night weren't exactly young, so Negi would have to be careful and not use any unnecessary force. Finally, high-noon arrived, and Negi went to the Quidditch pitch for the duel. They needed a nice, level piece of ground for the battle, and that was the most level area on the campus.

"Come on, Negi, relax," Asuna said in his ear, clapping him on the back to snap him out of it.

"Yeah, Neg," Chamo said from the ground as he walked on his hind legs alongside his best friend. "If you're all wound up like this, you're gonna make a mistake."

"Right," Negi said with a nod. He took a deep breath and turned to Asuna. "Here, Asuna. Hold my staff for now. I might not need it."

"Wait, Negi. Don't you need it," she said at once. "Don't tell me you're not going to use magic! What do you think you're playing at?"

"Don't worry," Negi replied, showing her the ring on his left hand. "This is all I need."

"Oh, that's the ring Evangeline gave you. Okay, but if you need it just say so," Asuna said, taking Negi's staff from him. "And by the way, I hope you don't plan on using you-know-what against them," she added, pulling on his cheek with one hand, stretching it pretty far, and grinding the knuckles of her other hand into his temple, lifting him off the ground by the head and swinging him back and forth.

"Ouch, ouch, Asuna please stop. That really hurts," Negi pleaded, his arms starting to flail around like crazy.

About a minute later, the teachers walked onto the pitch. Those not participating went up to the bleachers to observe. They all wanted a front row seat to this show. They hadn't seen McGonagall or Flitwick or Slughorn in a straight-out duel for years. McGonagall, Flitwick, Slughorn and Sprout strode onto the field and stood a good seven meters from where Negi stood. "Well now, Mr. Springfield, shall we begin?" McGonagall said in a quiet, serious tone.

Takahata stepped onto the field and called out, "This duel will only end when one side is unable to continue. And ... begin!" The duel had begun at last!

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I know this is short, but just try to bear with me. I promise there'll be action in a few hours.


	16. Chapter 14: Magical Free For All

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, Negima, or anything else, but I _soooooooooo_ wish I did. **Edited: 11/23/2011**

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Yeah! I'm finally back to my old creative self, and now it's time for the "teachers" to be taught a lesson about who the _REAL_ big boys are! I'd love to say this, but I'm going to let Takamichi say it ...

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Magical Free-For-All

"All right ladies and gentlemen! LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!" Takamichi shouted in a magically enhanced voice, sounding not unlike a certain famous ring-announcer in the Muggle world. He leapt back up to the stands and said, "I've always wanted to say that!" as he sat down next the Kagome, InuYasha, Sango and Miroku. The girls just giggled, and Miroku looked awed by how grand the man had sounded, but InuYasha just said, "Feh!" He thought it all was pretty stupid and pointless.

Negi stood transfixed in that spot, not making a move, looking from one teacher to the other. One was tall, another short and plump, one fairly tall and chubby, and the last one very small and stubby. Finally, his opponents began to spread out slowly, some more slowly than others. _Just a little more_, he thought as he watched McGonagall, _just a bit more. That's it!_ He immediately clasped his hands together and they began to glow pale green with magical energy. "_Incipio confestim vis magica. Septendecim spiritus aeriales, vinculum facti inimicum capiant_!" Pale green orbs of light were beginning to appear over Negi's head. But it didn't end there, as Negi immediately gripped the ground with his feet, and a second later, he pushed off and disappeared from view.

"Where'd he go?" McGonagall said sharply, looking around in bewilderment. "It's impossible to just disappear, and no one can disapparate on the grounds!" Then she looked to her right and saw Sprout pointing.

"Behind you, Minerva," Professor Sprout called at the top of her voice.

McGonagall spun around and began to aim her wand-hand, but Negi was prepared. He grabbed her wrist with his left hand, and then brought up his right hand to rest on her stomach. "_SAGITTA MAGICA AER CAPTURAE_!" Negi shouted, and immediately numerous ribbons of pale green energy sprouted from the ground, wrapped themselves around Professor McGonagall's body and held her fast to that spot. Her arms were pinned to her side, and the ribbons began to squeeze until her wand had dropped from her hand. McGonagall was absolutely flabbergasted. Never had she been so helpless against an opponent of such a young age. She tried to shrug the ropes off, but the more she struggled, the tighter they seemed to squeeze. She was trapped.

"Merlin's beard!" Slughorn gasped. "How does he do it?"

"Sweet move, Negi!" Kotaro yelled from the bleachers. "That shundo jutsu was right on the mark. The in and the out were perfect. Shukuchi-level!"

"That was unbelievable," Professor Trelawney said behind them. "I didn't even see him move."

"That's the idea," Kotaro told her, his yellow eyes flashing. "He can actually go faster than that, but he didn't have to, so he didn't. It would've only wasted energy."

Back on the field, the Hogwarts team was in turmoil over what had just occurred. "Minerva! What've you done to her?" Sprout yelled as Negi sped towards her, moving at speeds well beyond human-level. She was still in a state of shock, so didn't know what to do.

"Not to worry. The Aer Capturae, or Binding Wind is a basic enough spell. It doesn't cause any harm to the body. It just uses the wind to bind a person for a short time. It'll release her on its own," Negi answered her in a low voice as he began to run circles around her. The boy was moving so fast he was almost a blur. The wind created from his speed was causing her shabby, earth-covered robes to flap wildly. Her patched, tattered witch hat was sent flying, and her flyaway hair was sent in every direction.

_No!_ Professor Flitwick thought from where he stood several meters away. _With him moving like that, I can't aim any spells at him. I might hit Pomona instead. This boy knows how to fight. What can I do?_

Professor Sprout was getting desperate. She had no idea what the young wizard might try next, although she didn't sense any malicious intent, but that wasn't very reassuring. She was still thinking frantically of a way to counter when she heard Negi begin to chant again.

"_Incipio confestim vis magica__. __Aer et aqua, facti nebula his somnum brevem_!" Negi said as he ran. Finally, he came to a stop facing Professor Sprout's front, held out his hand and shouted, "_NEBULA HYPNOTICA_!" A thick fog burst from the ground at Sprout's feet. She instantly began to feel woozy, and finally collapsed onto Negi, fast asleep. "Whoa!" Negi said as he eased her body to the ground and laid her down on her back.

Wasting no time, still crouched down, he turned to Slughorn. The old, slightly overweight man was having a hard time keeping up with the action. He wasn't a very fast, able-bodied man, so Negi thought he'd best end this before the poor man wore himself out. He looked off-balance already, so Negi decided a simple wind spell would be enough to send him to the ground. "_Incipio confestim vis magica. Flet une venti!_" He held him hand out, palm aimed at Slughorn. "_FLANS SALTATIO PULVEREA!_"

Professor Slughorn was instantly hit by a freakishly strong gust of wind which blew him head-over-heels for a loop. "What just happened?" he said in an uneven voice as he tumbled back, now feeling quite giddy. He landed flat on his back, and no matter how hard he struggled, Negi could tell he would have trouble getting up.

He immediately turned his attention to Professor Flitwick. _I can tell this one isn't going to be as easy as these two. He's a much smaller target. Perhaps I should use that spell_, he thought, looking at Flitwick.

"What spell was that?" Professor Flitwick asked Negi as the boy straightened up.

"As for Professor Sprout, just a little something to make her sleep, and Professor Slughorn? Just a gust of wind to knock him down. You see, I'm a gentleman at heart and by nature, I dare not harm the elderly," Negi said as he stepped away from Sprout's body. "Now then…" and he lowered himself into a combat stance. He then stood there and waited for Flitwick to make his move.

Several seconds passed before Professor Flitwick brought up his wand. He brandished it at Negi and a red burst of light left his wand like a gunshot and sped towards a wandless Negi.

Negi crouched down slightly and then shot off the ground like a bullet; his shundo had sent him thirty feet into the air.

Flitwick looked up, but the sun began to blind him. He couldn't see a thing.

Upon coming out of the shundo, he stretched out his hand, chanted, "_Mea Virga_!" and the staff spun into it, summoned right from Asuna's hand from her place in the stands. He planted his feet along the narrow staff and stood up, one hand held out in front of him, the other out to the side. He raised his front hand to the sky and then thrust it forward and uttered, "_Incipio confestim vis magica. EVOCATIO VALCYRIARUM CONTUBERNALIA GLADIARIA_!" Before the astounded teachers' eyes, ten glowing Negis appeared behind him, all riding staffs just like his. The only thing different about them was the weapons they carried. Different kinds of swords, daggers, scythes, halberds, lances, spears; everything in their hands was bladed. "_AGE CAPIANT_!" At his command all ten Negis flew toward Flitwick and surrounded him. They then closed in tighter and tighter in formation until their weapons were against his neck.

"It's over," Negi said at once, coming back down to the ground. With one gesture he dissolved the copies and held out a hand to help Flitwick to his feet.

The small man took Negi's hand with a shaky hand and stood up slowly. "What in the world was that? I've never heard of a wizard creating copies of himself with just magical energy alone," he said in a trembling voice as he stood up and straightened his robes. "Plus, I know you said you'd never harm the elderly, and I appreciate your restraint, but that sure didn't stop you from scaring the bloody heck out of us."

"It's called the Sword-Wielding Brothers in Arms," Negi answered with a smile as he led Flitwick back toward the others; during their scuffle, they had strayed a fair distance from Professor Sprout and Professor McGonagall. "It uses the wind to create a copy of the castor, but it takes a lot of skill to conjure as many as I can. It took me about a month to master the spell and form a single copy. The variety of weapons the copies use vary based on the number of copies created. The last time I used it, I summoned eight copies of me. I guess this means I still had room for improvement."

"Well, I certainly am impressed. What did you use on Pomona here?" Flitwick asked as they approached Professor Sprout's quietly sleeping body.

"That was the Fog of Sleep. As the name suggests, it creates a fog that puts the target to sleep for a while. The spells I used here today were all basic combat spells. Harmless in nature, but still pretty devastating when used properly," Negi stated as they reached Professor Sprout's body. He returned his staff to its place on his back and scooped up Professor Sprout, hoisting her over his head with minimal effort, and carrying her over to where Professor McGonagall stood, still held in place by the Aer Capturae. "I'm surprised it hasn't let you go yet," Negi said, putting down Sprout's limp body and reaching for his staff. "Then again, the more you struggle, the tighter it gets."

"Well, I wish I could say I could break free of a spell I've never seen before," McGonagall said as Negi removed the spell and the ribbons disappeared, her emerald green robes quite ruffled from when the ribbons put the squeeze on her. "I think it's safe to say you've bested us."

"I suppose so," Negi said, blushing. "Still, Evangeline taught me not to give anyone the chance to –" he only had time to turn around before …

"YOU IDIOT!" Evangeline yelled at the top of her voice as she reached them, punching Negi square in the cheek and sending him sprawling.

"Master? Did I do something wrong?" Negi said, trying to get up.

"Don't talk back to me, boy! You're damn right you did something wrong!" Eva said, angrily grinding the heel of her 3-inch-high-heeled shoe into the side of his head. "How many times do I have to tell you? DON'T GIVE YOUR ENEMY THE CHANCE TO ATTACK, BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE THE LAST MISTAKE YOU'LL EVER MAKE!"

"It won't … happen again … Master!" Negi moaned from under her foot, his other cheek presses in the mud. "I promise."

"See that it doesn't, or I'll bleed you dry right where you stand," she seethed, pulling him off the ground by his shirt to face her. "Do you understand?" she added, deathly silent.

"Yes, Master. Understood," said Negi with an "Oh my God, I'm gonna die!" expression on his face.

"All right already. You've made your point, stupid Eva! Get off his face!" someone yelled. Asuna must have picked up Negi's sense of panic, running over and dropkicking Evangeline in the mouth, throwing her off Negi.

"You HIT me, Asuna Kagurazaka," Evangeline screamed, picking herself off the ground, holding her now-swollen lip and cheek. "How dare you ignore the barrier of a pure-blooded vampire? OW! You made me bite my tongue again!"

"No, I KICKED you, blockhead!" Asuna shot back, Setsuna having to come over and hold her back.

"Blockhead?" Evangeline scoffed, her anger now starting to rise. "What are you ten?"

"No, you are, freak," Asuna retorted, struggling to get at her.

"Asuna, it's not worth it," Setsuna whispered in her ear, still struggling to keep Asuna from brawling with the miniature vampire.

"She's right, Asuna. Forget about it," Negi said, still on the ground and rubbing the dirt and mud off his face. "See? I'm okay."

"A-are you okay, Professor?" Nodoka asked in concern, running over to check on him.

"Or is it that you're getting some feelings for the boy, little girl?" Eva said with a wicked smile, Chachamaru helping her to her feet.

"I know you didn't just say that!" Asuna yelled, ripping herself from Setsuna's grip and punching Evangeline in the mouth. "I thought we went through this already. I don't have any feelings for him. I just think enough is enough."

"You HIT me AGAIN!" Eva screamed, jumping on her and grabbing her by the hair.

"Now you got it. THAT was a hit, and so is THIS!" Asuna screeched, as they grappled, aiming fist after fist at Evangeline's face.

"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT" chanted several of Negi's students. Negi, Nodoka, Setsuna and Konoka just stood there, already well aware that nothing they could say would stop the fight.

"CATFIGHT! CATFIGHT!" chanted InuYasha. He'd never seen anything like it; he didn't think two girls could fight like that. He kept chanting "CATFIGHT!" until Kagome grabbed him by the ear.

"That's enough, InuYasha," she groaned in frustration at his immaturity and insensitivity.

"Are they always like this?" Flitwick asked as he and McGonagall walked up to them.

"From time to time," Chachamaru said from the sidelines. "Asuna is the only one we know who can freely engage in physical slapstick with the Master. Still, this is the first time in quite a while that I've seen Master so lively."

The two girls just kept going and going for several more minutes. By the time Takamichi managed to pull them apart, they were too exhausted to fight anymore. Asuna came out of it with a couple of nice-sized bumps on her head, one swollen cheek, and several scratches on her other cheek from Evangeline's fingernails. Evangeline ended up with a black eye, a fat lip and cheek, and a couple of cracked ribs. Kotaro and Chachamaru had to carry them back to the castle as everyone returned for lunch, Negi bringing up the rear with Professor Sprout held over his head once more.

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Spell Translations:

Incipio confestim vis magica ... - I take in my hand without delay the force of magic / magical force ... (Negi's Release Key)

Septendecim spiritus aeriales, vinculum facti inimicum capiant! Aer Capturae! - 17 wind spirits, become a chain that binds and capture my enemy! Binding Wind!

Aer et Aqua, Facti Nebula His Somnum Brevem! Nebula Hypnotica! - Air and Water, Become a Fog and Grant a Short Rest to This Person! Fog of Sleep!

Flet Une Vente! Flans Saltatio Pulverea! - Blow, Gust of Wind! Blow Forth, Dancing Dust!

Evocatio Valcyriarum Contubernalia Gladiaria! - I summon the Valkyries, Sword-wielding Brothers in Arms!

Age Capiant! - Please capture!

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Next update: 5 days, and here's why ...

Negi has come out of this fight unscathed ... well, except for Evangeline's heel mark on his face. Up next is InuYasha vs Hagrid. The stakes - winner teaches fighting moves to the masses. That's right. Magic just isn't enough anymore. However, I feel obligated to warn you. There will be blood, so the next chapter might not be suitable for those with weak constitutions.


	17. Chapter 15: Demon VS Giant

Disclaimer: The Grominator owns nothing having to do with anime or Harry Potter.

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Let me just take a moment to say a sincere, "Thank you!" to all my readers. Four days ago, this fic received its 1000th hit. I just want to say, I really do appreciate your viewership. As my gift to you, I'm releasing this a day early, just so you'll be free on Superbowl Sunday tomorrow! LOL!

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The time has come for a half-breed showdown. A half-giant versus a half-demon. Can InuYasha win, and more importantly, can he win without killing Hogwarts' favorite giant?

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Demon vs. Giant

The tension was running high again, and the match between Hagrid and InuYasha was next. Lunch that day passed faster than InuYasha realized. One minute he was chomping away at a big, juicy slab of meat in the Great Hall, with everyone staring at him and his table manners or lack-thereof, and the next, he was standing on the outskirts of the Dark Forest on the edge of the grounds for his duel with Hagrid. He was allowed to carry the Tetsusaiga at his side, although he was not allowed to use it. This battle was to be hand-to-hand only. _They don't know about _THAT_ attack_, he thought. _I can still use that, but I won't aim to kill 'im all the same_. _And there's no freakin' way I'd resort to this_. He brought his hand to rest on Tetsusaiga's hilt.

Kagome and Shippo looked on from the sidelines along with Sango and Miroku. _I hope InuYasha doesn't go overboard again like he did in our last battle. The last demon he fought must have left him fuming even after the battle was over_. _I can still see it in his eyes_. The demon they last fought tried to steal Kagome from InuYasha, mocking InuYasha with his belief that a half-breed didn't deserve "such a fine piece of work." InuYasha not only killed the demon, but he cut it's head off, cut the body into little pieces with his bare hands and tossed the pieces in a river. Everyone was freaked out at how far InuYasha went with that one, but Kagome took it as a gesture towards the fact that he will annihilate anyone who tries to take her from him.

As if reading her mind, Shippo tapped her shoulder and said, "Don't worry, Kagome. InuYasha won't kill the big guy. Remember, if he loses it, you can just make him 'sit.'"

"I know, but I promised InuYasha I wouldn't say 'sit' willy-nilly while we're here. WHOOPS! Sorry InuYasha!" she said just as InuYasha went crashing to the ground.

"Kagome! What the Hell are you thinking?!" InuYasha shouted. His face was already covered in dirt, and the brawling hadn't even started yet.

"Hey, I apologized, didn't I?" she shot back at him.

"Yeah, I heard it myself," Shippo added.

"This is ridiculous," InuYasha said under his breath, picking himself up from the ground. "All right, let's get this thing goin', huh? Where's the big guy?"

"Hagrid is in his house getting ready," Professor McGonagall said walking up to him.

"Someone mention me?" came a voice from Hagrid's little hut, as the huge man walked out the door and stepped onto the area set aside for their fight. The house was big enough for him to live in, with an appropriately-sized doorway, furniture and everything else. It was small, but cozy, and that was all Hagrid needed to live comfortably. "Righ' then, shall we start?"

"Thought you'd never ask," InuYasha said with a grin, and leapt high in the air, well over fifteen feet. "IRON REAVER SOUL STEALER!" he shouted, slashing his claws at the large man standing in front of him as he came down. To InuYasha's surprise, Hagrid dodged the attack, moving quite quickly for a man his size. InuYasha's attack hit the ground where Hagrid's feet had been a second earlier, ripping it up quite a bit. "Heh. You're pretty fast."

"I could say the same to you," Hagrid said with a chuckle. "I've never seen a man jump that high on leg strength alone, or rip up the ground like that with just his fingers." He raised his enormous hands and held them up like boxing gloves to protect his head and face, and began to advance.

As the giant reached InuYasha, he began throwing punches, starting slow and slowly getting faster. InuYasha threw up his arms to block, but after five punches from Hagrid, InuYasha started to lose the feeling in his arms. _Damn! My freakin'arms are goin' numb! I gotta get some distance_. Breaking off from the one-sided brawl, InuYasha leapt backward. "You've got a lot more power in you than I thought. Apparently, you've got some good muscle under that bludder, huh?" he said, cracking his fingers and swinging his arms around in large, vertical circles to get the blood flowing again. "Looks like I'll have to get serious," he finished, balling his hands into fists and rushing the half-giant. This time, when Hagrid attacked InuYasha, the young half-demon suddenly changed his combat style. Instead of blocking Hagrid's blows, he began to dodge by lowering his head and shoulders and slightly shifting his position to either side, and once the punch was evaded, he stood upright again.

Hagrid threw a hard left hook and InuYasha jumped up and landed on Hagrid's wrist and jumped up again. With a loud, "Dyaaaaa!" he came down with a flat-footed kick to Hagrid's cheek that knocked the man off balance, sending him falling on his big, fat rear.

"Heh. Got you," InuYasha grinned, dancing from foot to foot like Muhammad Ali. "What goes up, must come down. Especially when you go _up_ against me!

"That was too easy. Let's add some spice to this match. Best out of three rounds wins, and it looks like round one is mine," he finished with an arrogant smirk.

"What's he doing?" Miroku couldn't help but ask Kagome. "I've never seen InuYasha actually focus on dodging the enemy's attacks like that."

"It's called 'bobbing and weaving.' I thought Hagrid might be too strong for InuYasha to beat with strength alone, so I asked a certain someone to take some time this morning and teach him the basics of dodging the attacks while using minimal movement. It's still a bit sloppy, but he's made amazing progress," she said with a wink.

"Yes, you're right," said a voice. Kagome turned around to find Chachamaru walking up. "I did not think he would get the hang of it so soon."

Suddenly, Kagome felt a little weight on her left shoulder. She looked over and Chamo was sitting there, looking at her. "It's true, sister. Months of training can be equivalent to a few minutes of actual combat experience. Big Brother Negi learned shundo the night before he was in a match with Takahata and couldn't do it right until he was actually fighting. He just kept crashing during his training because he couldn't grip the ground correctly with his foot when stopping. Once in the ring, he used it several times, flawlessly, stopping right where he needed to," he said, winking back at her. "Now he can do it at the speed of light," he finished with a thumbs-up.

"The speed of light?" Kagome repeated in disbelief. "That's impossible."

Negi walked up beside her and took Chamo off her shoulder. He had Nodoka with him. "It's true," he said. "Well, at least most of it. I've trained under several people in the past six months, and I've been through many battles, and a bunch of them were death-matches or battles where there were lives at stake. One's training cannot be truly tested unless it's in a real battle."

Hagrid finally stood up again and brushed himself off. "Nice kick, youngin'," he complemented InuYasha. "Well then," he decided. "Time to start round two."

"All right," InuYasha said, now getting the feeling back in his arms and hands. "Kagome, gimme the bell. Gimme the bell!"

"You're kidding," Kagome said, her eyebrow twitching.

"Come on, already!" InuYasha called. "Sooner you give us a bell, the sooner we can finish."

"All right, all right!" she conceded. "DING!!" she yelled, blushing deep red.

"Uh, Kagome," Shippo said, jumping on her shoulder. "You realize you could've asked me to turn into a bell." Kagome only blushed an even deeper shade of scarlet.

"Hah," InuYasha laughed. "I'll never forget that. Oh well. Time to attack." He rushed at Hagrid, pulling back his right fist and throwing a huge haymaker at the man's hairy face but the punch never had a chance to connect. At the same time, Hagrid hit InuYasha with a left-handed punch right in his blind spot. His head jerked backwards, blood and saliva flying from his mouth. There was no time for recovery. The next punch connected with InuYasha's face full force, and he could tell that Hagrid had put his full strength behind this one, because his entire body was propelled all the way into the forest. InuYasha's body struck and knocked down several trees until he finally crashed into the think truck of a huge tree and came to a stop, a low branch having pierced his back and stuck out the front through the left side of his chest, right next to his heart. He just hung there, stunned, blood slowly starting to flow from his wounds.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!!! INUYASHA!!!" Kagome screamed. She, Sango and Miroku rushed to InuYasha's side, Shippo still perched on Kagome's shoulder. "InuYasha, speak to me!! _INUYASHAAAAAAAA!!!!_" she cried in a blind panic. He was hurt worst than she'd seen him in quite a long while.

"We have to get him down," Shippo said, jumping down.

"I'm on it," Sango said, extending the blade hidden under the sleeve of her kimono. She leaped up and sliced the branch in half, sending InuYasha's body crumbling to the ground, the other end of the branch still impaled through the right side of his chest.

"Dah! No amount of training could've protected against that!" Chamo gasped, pressing his tail to his eyes in horror.

"I don't think he's getting up after that one, mate," Negi said a shaky voice. "He'll be lucky not to get a whiplash from that impact."

"That's if that stab to his chest didn't already kill him!" cried Chamo.

"It seems we've got our victor," Professor McGonagall said in a low voice, walking up to Hagrid and raising his arm. "We'll have to give him a proper burial at least." Everyone paused for a moment of silent reflection that was never quite needed.

"Hah. You've gotta be kiddin' me," a voice scoffed with a slight hint of amusement. Everyone turned to see Koga, the black-haired, brown furred the wolf demon walking out of the forest and down to the clearing, the red-haired, white fur-wearing female wolf demon Ayame by his side, and InuYasha supported on his shoulder. "If this mutt can't get up after that, then he doesn't deserve to be my enemy," he snorted, dumping the dog demon on the ground rather unceremoniously.

"… ha ha ha ha … What's that, ya mangy wolf? That hurt, you know."

"Shut up, mutt," Koga barked. "Now I reek of dog. I don't know why I keep helping you like this."

"Feh," InuYasha retorted out the side of his mouth, a little louder this time. "First you help me, then you dump a wounded man on his ass, and then you insult him. You're the one who's a stinker." By now, he'd started moving.

"Hmm?" McGonagall looked at InuYasha's seemingly lifeless body and saw an astounding sight.

"DWAAAAHHHHH! Chamo, you've got to see this," Negi said, prying Chamo's tail away from his eyes. The ermine's eyes nearly popped out when he saw what was happening.

InuYasha was rising to his feet, laughing. "Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. You all think I'm dead? Idiots! Let me tell you something about demons," InuYasha snarled, ripping the branch out of his chest rather roughly, causing a large amount of blood to splatter all over the grass around him. He was bleeding profusely from his chest, but he was very much alive and to everyone's astonishment, ready to continue the fight. "We can't be killed off that easily. As you can see, I'm alive, and that means, I CAN STILL FIGHT!!!!"

"See?" Koga said with a toothy grin. "Now I gotta take a rinse in the lake to wash off that dog stench. My entire body reeks," he finished angrily, smelling himself. "Ah, man! I stink to high heaven!"

"InuYasha, no. Don't go. You're wounded, and you couldn't beat him before. What make you think you can beat him now?" Miroku yelled from the edge of the forest.

"No, Miroku. This is just a flesh-wound. This thing missed my vital organs," InuYasha gasped, spitting up a mouthful a blood and holding up the branch soaked in his blood.

"He's right," McGonagall said, holding up her hand. "You're too hurt to fight. The match is over."

"Right, Minerva," Madam Pomfrey agreed.

"WRONG, MINERVA!!" InuYasha barked at the top of his lungs, causing everyone to flinch. "We agreed this morning that this match would only stop when one of us was unable to continue the fight, and I'm still standing. That means WE CONTINUE!! TIME FOR ROUND THREEEE!" His voice echoed around the entire clearing.

McGonagall stepped forward to try and talk some sense into him, but Hagrid stopped her. "Professor McGonagall, he seems dead-se' on finishing this, so I sugges' we give it ter him," Hagrid concluded. "I find I can identify. I wouldn't wan' a figh' ter be decided if I could still go on."

Professor McGonagall sighed. "I may end up regretting this in the end, but fine, go ahead," she gave in, backing off. "But I won't be held responsible if he dies."

"Heh. This'll be over after me next attack," Hagrid said, walking back toward InuYasha.

"That's my line," InuYasha said, plunging his right hand directly into the open wound in his chest. Everyone in the crowd cringed in shock. It was bad enough that the man was already bleeding out a hole straight through his chest, but now he was actually digging into it. What in the world could he be thinking?

Chamo practically fell off Negi's shoulder and vomited all over the boy's shoes. "Oh, Chamo!" he exclaimed. "Couldn't you have –" but all of a sudden, Negi covered his mouth and swallowed hard, rubbing his throat. He'd almost followed suit, but he'd been through some pretty bloody battles too, but despite being on the front lines of battle in the Magic World, this mess was beyond anything he'd ever witnessed.

Negi turned to look at Nodoka. The girl's face was beginning to turn blue and her legs had given out. She still couldn't take her eyes off the horrific sight before her. With a final yelp, she finally fainted. Already seeing the result before it happened, Negi caught her and cradled her close, stroking her hair. He turned around and started to carry her back to the castle, intent on taking her to rest in the Hospital Wing. This was no place for a lady.

InuYasha ripped his hand out, his fingers dripping with blood. "To Hell with the rules. I'm endin' this NOW!!" He leapt into the air again and slashed his half-clenched hand at the air before him and shouted, "BLADES OF BLOOD!" Dozens of huge, curved red blades appeared in midair and sped towards Hagrid.

Hagrid's instincts saved his life. Without thinking, the giant reached into his thick brown coat and pulled out an umbrella. He flicked it forward and a shield appeared in front of him. The shield softened the blow and slowed the blades a fraction, but they were not something that could be easily stopped. They struck quickly, raking across his chest and cutting into his shoulders. The giant hit the ground with an earth-shaking crash that made everyone jump, bleeding heavily from his wounds.

"Did someone yell 'TIMBER'?!" InuYasha laughed to himself as he came closer and closer to the ground.

"I WON!!!" InuYasha roared as he landed heavily and sank to his knees. "That's it. I'm done." he said as he fell forward and collapsed, the blood from his chest creating a large brown patch on the grass.

Negi was half-way to Hogwarts when he heard the commotion. If Hagrid's rough landing hadn't have gotten Negi's attention, InuYasha's howl would definitely have made him turned around. As soon as he saw the wounds on both Hagrid and InuYasha, he made a split second decision. Taking care of his student would have to wait. For now, saving lives took precedence. Not hesitating for a moment, he gently laid Nodoka against a large tree and dashed back towards the crowd.

The entire crowd was in an uproar. No one had seen such carnage from just two people in decades, if not their whole lives.

"Get these two to the hospital wing. We can't afford to lose anyone now," Professor McGonagall said firmly, taking control of the situation. _I knew I would regret this_. Hagrid and InuYasha were both being levitated off the ground by magic and were about to be rushed into the castle, Kagome and Madam Pomfrey at the front of the group, pressing cloths against the wounds to staunch the blood, when Negi stepped in front of them and took charge.

"That'll take too long. One of my girls and I can heal any wound, no matter how serious. Give me a moment," Negi said to the crowd, then took a card out of his suit jacket, held it to his forehead and said, "_Telepathia_! Konoka. Konoka, can you hear me?! This is an emergency. Both Hagrid and InuYasha are both seriously wounded. We need your help right now. Prepare for teleportation. I repeat. Get ready for teleportation, and make sure you have your pactio card with you. I'll summon you immediately. What? Setsuna?" He took a second card from his pocket and held it to his forehead. "Setsuna? ... Okay, understood."

"What was that?" McGonagall asked him as they ran.

"Just contacting one of my partners before I bring her here. She's a healer like Madam Pomfrey. She can heal any injury no matter how bad it is. We need to get them treatment now. Their bodies shouldn't be moved, or the bleeding will get worse. Just trust me," he answered her.

"Fine. I'll ask you about those cards later," she decided. _And what he means by "partners."_

"Right. I'll explain it over dinner tonight, after we've assured that these two will be alright," he ended as he gripped his staff and thrust his hand into the air, palm pointed straight up, the cards floating inches above his palm. "_Evocem vos, Ministra Negi, Konoka Konoe, Setsuna Sakurazaki_." Two pillars of light immediately appeared in front of him, each with a glowing hexagram at the base. The two girls seemed to rise from the hexagrams, one with long brown hair, the other with shoulder-length black hair and bangs covering only the right side of her forehead.

"Magical nurse, Konoka Konoe reporting for duty, Negi," Konoka said with a cute smile. "Show me to the patient."

"There's not much time," Negi yelled, directing traffic around the prone bodies. "Konoka, Hagrid wounds are a lot worse, so you tend to him while Kagome handles InuYasha. They're both losing blood fast."

"Alright," Konoka said, making her way through the crowd to Hagrid's side and taking a card similar to Negi's from her pocket. "Everyone stand back! _Adeat_." There was a flash of light, and all of a sudden Konoka was wearing a very elaborate nurse's outfit and was holding a pair of folding fans. "_Flabellum Euri, Flabellum Australe_." She then seemed to go into a trance, all the while chanting a long incantation that sounded remotely like a song. "_Ibuki–dono Oharahe Takamagahara Ni Kamuzumarimasu Kamuro Ki Kamuro Minomikotowomochite Sumegamitachino Maeni Mausaku Kurushimiuefu Wagatomoyo Mamorimegumahi Sakiwaetamaheto Fujiharanoasomi Konoe Konokano Ikumosubiwo Uzunomitegurani Sonahetatematsurukoto Wo Moromorokikoshimese_."

Suddenly, the girl's spirit seemed to leave her body in some sort of corporeal astral projection. The only thing was, this astral projection of Konoka wasn't wearing clothes. Upon seeing this, Sango pulled the back of Miroku's kimono over his face head and face to prevent him from seeing anything he shouldn't. The rest of the men covered their eyes, except Negi, who had turned his back, still directing traffic. As Konoka's limp body began to fall, Setsuna caught her body and cradled her head in her lap, stroking her hair and smiling gently.

Hagrid's body began to give off low _SNAP, CRACK AND POP_ sounds as the skin cells began to reproduce themselves and close the deep gashes around his body. The pain he was feeling was indescribable, but it only lasted a second. Instantly, he was overcome by a feeling of relief. At one point, he felt the sensation that he was being embraced from behind. Moments later, Konoka's soul was back in her body and all of Hagrid's wounds were closed. "_Abeat_," Konoka said standing up, her costume, as well as the fans disappearing and reverting back into card-form, returning Konoka to her original attire.

Hagrid pulled himself to his feet with a grunt. "Whoa. I feel great," he said with glee. "How did you do it," he asked her as she walked up to him.

"It's a good thing Negi got me here so quickly," she said with a big, gentle smile. "My artifact can heal any wound or any other ailment, but I can only use the spell once a day, so it's a good thing Negi still has his left to use … but it seems he's too busy at the moment to use it. I do warn you though," she added, holding up a finger. "That spell is isn't quite perfected yet. Exposure to such powerful healing magic will leave you vulnerable to illness over the next couple of days. You should rest for now. No strenuous activity for a while, okay?" she finished with a wink.

Meanwhile, Kagome was in distress over InuYasha's condition. "Oh no oh no oh no," she was saying to herself. "The bleeding's getting worse, and I don't have my medical bag."

"Coming through. Out of my way. Out of my way," Kagome heard from behind her. She looked around and saw Madam Pomfrey pushing her way through. "I'll take care of him right away," she said crouching beside InuYasha and rolling up her sleeves.

"No, don't," Kagome said, sticking her arms out to stop her. "InuYasha snaps if anyone but me takes care of him, but I need my medical kit from my backpack."

"Then I'll fetch it for you," she said, pulling out her wand and pointing it toward the castle. "_Accio_," she said loudly. A moment passed with nothing happening, and finally, Kagome found her overstuffed, faded yellow backpack zooming out of the castle and in her outstretched hands.

The girl quickly put on a pair of gloves and started working on InuYasha's wounds. In addition to the chest wound, he had numerous small scratches on his face, minor bruising on his cheeks from all the punches he took, as well as a nasty gash on his left arm from when he brushed past a sharp limb. In no time at all, the scratches on his face were covered, mostly by small band-aids. Next, she tended to the long gash on the left arm, quickly disinfecting it and wrapping it in bandages. InuYasha bit his lip to keep from squirming. Then, Kagome got to work on the bigger problem. She took a large patch out of her medical kit and began disinfecting the wound. He began to scream from the stinging sensation, but she said, "Don't move InuYasha. It'll be over in a moment," and gently taped the patch to InuYasha's chest, turned him over, and did the same to his back. Finally, she gently sat him up and wrapped his entire midsection in thick bandages.

Finally, she finished bandaging InuYasha up. "Demons like InuYasha have accelerated healing rates. Give him two to three days, and he'll be all healed up," she said, wiping the sweat off her brow and packing up her bag. "All we have to do now is put him to bed for a while."

"But what if his internal organs are damaged?" Madam Pomfrey persisted. "I'm pretty certain that limb must have pierced his -"

"It'll be alright," Kagome insisted firmly. "He's been run through before with swords, poisonous blades, even bare hands and he's pulled through without as much as a scar. Trust me. _He will be fine_!" _I'm just glad he didn't transform_.

So with that, everyone returned to the castle, Sango and Miroku each supporting Hagrid on each side, and Kagome and Madam Pomfrey supporting InuYasha. Both combatants were still battered from their grueling battle. InuYasha could still walk okay, but Sango and Miroku were practically dragging Hagrid. The poor man was so exhausted and weary, he could barely move on his own.

* * *

Spell Translations:

Accio ... - I call ... / I summon ...

Telepathia - Telepathy

Evocem vos ... - I summon you ...

Ibuki–dono Oharahe Takamagahara Ni Kamuzumarimasu Kamuro Ki Kamuro Minomikotowomochite Sumegamitachino Maeni Mausaku Kurushimiuefu Wagatomoyo Mamorimegumahi Sakiwaetamaheto Fujiharanoasomi Konoe Konokano Ikumosubiwo Uzunomitegurani Sonahetatematsurukoto Wo Moromorokikoshimese - Ibuki–dono's castle lies before my form prostrate to the heavens. I borrow the powers of the very gods. Before the heavenly gods gather the white warriors, bestow upon them, my friends, the blessings of fortitude and gift of fortune. The descendant of the Fujihara, Konoe Konoka, instills the cloth of gifting, with her living soul in offering to the gods' repast.

* * *

Wow! InuYasha really knows how to get 'er done, doesn't he? The stage is set for another fun Special Chapter. Look for it in the next 48 hours.


	18. Special Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha or Harry Potter.

* * *

InuYasha's duel with Hagrid ended up in quite a mess, and now it's time for the fallout of that bloody spectacle. Still, InuYasha's troubles may only just be beginning. Please R & R!

* * *

Kagome's Dream, InuYasha's Nightmare

That night was one of InuYasha's worst. The dream, or rather, the nightmare he had that night was a dream he would never forget for as long as he lived. He and Kagome were having a very romantic night, and when they were about to start getting freaky and making love, Kagome turned out to be Shippo in disguise, leaving InuYahsa traumatized beyond all imagination. He awoke with a start and crawled back until he cracked his head on the wall. "Ow! A dream, just a dream. Thank God! Well, at least I'm awake. Man, what a nightmare. Damn that Shippo. Next time I see him …," he whispered, rubbing the back of his head. As he looked around, he found Kagome slumped over, resting her head on the foot of his bed in the hospital wing.

He looked over to his side and saw Hagrid still sleeping soundly, if he would call it that. The huge man's snoring was enough to keep a guy awake all night. She had been there with him ever since he was brought to the hospital to rest. Although he was all but sure that this was the real Kagome, he decided to check for a tail in case she turned out to be Shippo in real-life as well. The fox child had turned into Kagome before, so InuYasha wasn't going to take any chances. Just as he was about to touch her to check for the tail, she said, "InuYasha."

"Erk!" InuYasha gasped and withdrew his hand. _She's talking in her sleep? Oh no! What if she's the real one, and what if she wakes up?! She'll think I'm turning into Miroku … But I've gotta know for sure. For all I know, it could be Shippo messing with my head again._ He tried again, but as he leaned over, it happened.

"Sit," Kagome whispered in her sleep.

CRASH.

InuYasha fell clean out of bed, only it turned out not being so clean. The fall against the hard stone floor alone would've been bad enough, but since he happened to be leaning over the side of the bed, the whole thing flipped over, landing on top of him and Kagome. "Huh? Wha?" was all Kagome could say before the bed turned over and pinned her on top of InuYasha.

"What's going on here?! What's all the – Oh my goodness!" Madam Pomfrey said as she hurried into the room, her graying hair a mess. "What happened?!" she cried as she ran over and levitated the bed off the two teens, and bustled Kagome over to another bed and pulled up the curtain so she could check for any injuries, leaving InuYasha still on the ground.

"Kagome! Your dreams are my nightmares," InuYasha said weakly, his face still pressed against the floor.

"What did I do, InuYasha?" asked Kagome as she lifted up her top so the nurse could check her bosom and abdomen for bruises. "Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! That tickles!" Kagome laughed suddenly. "Don't touch me there. Anywhere but there!" she gasped between fits of ticklish laughter as Madam Pomfrey checked her and looked and felt her over for any internal injuries or broken bones.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME? YOU STARTED TALKING IN YOUR SLEEP, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU TELL ME TO SIT! AND NOW _YOU'RE_ ASKIN' _ME_ WHAT YOU DID WRONG!" he howled at the top of his voice as he pushed himself up, making Hagrid snort loudly and roll over in his sleep, the two beds that had been pushed together to facilitate his huge body creaking under his enormous weight. "Aw great. Now my wounds have reopened!"

"Reopened?" _Does that mean it had closed up already?_ "Be with you in a moment," Madam Pomfrey said as she hurried out from behind the curtain, giving Kagome a little privacy to get dressed, and gain her composure after laughing herself breathless. She helped InuYasha back into bed, unwound his chest wrappings, cleaned and applied more medicine to the wound in his chest, which to her surprise had gotten a great deal smaller. "Wow, demons really are fast healers, aren't they? It looks like the wound was close to closing up completely and then reopened as a result of that bed-flip. I still don't know why you won't let me heal it for you. I can mend bones in an instant and mend minor injuries in seconds, even grow bones back over the course of a day. Now this, I just can't understand."

"You wouldn't understand anyway. You don't know anything about demons. Besides, it's a pride thing," InuYasha said as she bandaged his chest and back again. "Demons like me prefer to heal the natural way. Just give it another two or three days and there won't even be as much as a scar left."

"And he'll be up and walking around okay by tomorrow night. Plus, although it's not all that likely, magic may conflict with his demonic powers and cause complications with his recovery. Besides, it's always the hard way with him. He wouldn't accept magical healing unless it was an emergency. This isn't the first time it's happened to him. Yura of the demon hair ran him through several times with a sword, Sesshomaru ran him through with his poison claws at least once before, and then there was the time Kageromaru actually ATE his way through his gut," Kagome added as she joined them, now fully dressed, just in time to see Madam Pomfrey cringe in disgusted amazement. "Just wanted to be safe. You know we want InuYasha to be at 100% for the start of classes. We can't have one of our two combat instructors out of action due to recklessness."

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

"Oh, that's right. I was told you and that Koga boy would be teaching students to fight without magic. Why must we teach something so vulgar?" the nurse asked him as she tucked him into bed.

"They need to know how to defend themselves if their wands are taken away or destroyed," Kagome answered as she settled into the bed beside InuYasha's and pulled up the covers. "Don't worry, not everyone will have to take these lessons; only those who are serious about helping us fight when Naraku attacks in one year. Then again, they can also take lessons simply to get stronger and become more well-rounded when it comes to fighting. One can never be more prepared when it comes to fighting for one's life or loved ones."

"Well, I suppose you two would be the experts on that, after that brawl earlier. I'll have to trust you. Just try not to hurt anyone," Madam Pomfrey replied as she returned to her quarters. "This wing can only facilitate so many people."

As Madam Pomfrey left, Kagome turned toward InuYasha to say "good night," but he was already fast asleep. As she pulled up the covers, she said to herself with a giggle, "InuYasha looks so calm and peaceful. I guess beds do that to him. I hope I don't say 'sit' in my sleep again –"

CRASH

"KAGOME!!!!!!?"

"OOPS!" _Here we go again!_

* * *

HA HA HA!!! Looks like InuYasha's troubles are far from over. I hope you've enjoyed my second Special Chapter, and that you had a good Superbowl Sunday. Way to go Saints!

* * *

Next Chapter: Harry and friends arrive at last. What'll they find? Will Hagrid and InuYasha be out of the hospital by then? What will Harry's friends have to say when they find a _child_ teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts? And furthermore, _who_ is coming back to begin with? Find out in three days.


	19. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my books, computer, and my own ideas.

* * *

Harry & Friends Return to Hogwarts

Despite the sit-command fiasco, InuYasha was up and walking around by the next evening, just as Kagome had said. Hagrid was jealous of him for his incredible healing qualities. "I'd give anythin' ter be able ter regenerate like yeh do, me boy," he said as he, Kagome and InuYasha left the hospital wing.

"Feh! Don't be so quick to sell your soul away for demonic powers, 'cause they're a lot more trouble than they're worth. Still, it beats being debilitated for months on end, that's for sure. Plus, I've never met a demon before who was as loud a snorer as you are. I hate snoring. I can't believe I actually told Kikyo I'd become a human all those years ago," InuYasha said curtly, stretching his arms behind his head.

"Kikyo? Who's that?" Hagrid asked scratching his head.

Before InuYasha could respond, Kagome said, "InuYasha's first girlfriend, but that was over 50 years ago, or rather, 550 years ago to be exact. Since InuYasha can travel 500 years into the past, so either one would be accurate."

"500 years?! Blimey, how'd yeh manage that?" said a shocked Hagrid. He couldn't believe what he was listening to. "How old are yeh anyway?"

"Kinda rude, don't ya think, pal?! Not that it's any of your business, but I'm over 200 years old," InuYasha retorted in annoyance.

"200 years?! Codswallop! Yeh expect me ter believe tha'?" Hagrid said in disbelief as they neared the Great Hall for dinner.

"Believe what you want. I'm just surprised you haven't commented on the ears, not to mention my claws and fangs."

"I gave up questionin' people's looks ever since Voldemort came back 'bout 9 years ago, an' he was a real freak o' a man. Had a forked tongue, no nose with slits for nostrils, kind o' like a human-snake."

Upon hearing this, Kagome leaned over and whispered, "Better hope Naraku doesn't bring him back like the Band of 7," into InuYasha's ear.

"Feh! Who cares if he does? I'll just kill him, then, just like the lot of them. Can't be too strong, can he?" he returned.

_That's not what I was worried about_, was all Kagome could think.

All of a sudden, the door swung open. They all turned their heads, expecting to see someone come through the door, but nothing happened. That is, until an acorn floated into the entrance hall where they stood, fluttering into Kagome's hand and starting to cry. "Gallopin' Gorgons, is that acorn cryin'?" Hagrid gasped in amazement as tears continued to fly from the acorn's tiny eyes.

"InuYasha, this is from Shippo," Kagome said, looking down on the acorn in her hand.

"Ah yeah, I haven't seen the little squirt around in a while," InuYasha realized, scratching his head.

"I told him to go to keep watch for the train when I heard the alumni would be coming today," Kagome told him. "I asked him to send me a signal when he saw the train coming."

"We'd better tell Professor McGonagall then," Hagrid decided as they turning into the Great Hall when the door swung open again.

"Waaah. Kagomeeee!" was the next thing they heard. Kagome turned just in time to see Shippo come running through the front door with a huge lump on his head. The little fox dashed over to Kagome, jumped into her open arms and buried his face in her chest. "Kagome, one of them was mean to me. Waaah."

"Alright, alright, Shippo! Come down," Kagome coaxed him as she put him down. "Now tell me what happened."

"Well, I floated down from the sky like I did when you guys got here," Shippo started, wiping tears from his eyes. "I was just trying to welcome everyone, but then someone blasted me out of the air. He called me a stupid, ugly brat and then his friend went and kicked me in the head."

"What?! What did he look like," InuYasha yelled, curling his hands into fists.

"InuYasha, you're actually getting upset about Shippo getting beat up?" Kagome asked him skeptically. _That's a first_.

"Damn right I'm upset! NO ONE KICKS SHIPPO'S ASS BUT ME!" he roared loudly.

"Sit, boy." _I should've known_.

CRASH.

Hagrid jumped back as InuYasha slammed into the ground face-first. "Gulpin' gargoyles. That has **got** ter hurt."

"Urgh! You don't know the half of it, pal. I'm just glad she did it before those guys got up here," InuYasha said as he peeled himself off the floor and stood up. "Guess I deserved it. Still Shippo, just point out the guy when he gets here and I'll give him what he's got comin' the next chance I get."

"Sure you will, InuYasha. Now let's get into the Great Hall before they all get here. First impressions are everything," Kagome said, straightening her uniform and mini-skirt as they went in. Hagrid took his seat at the Head Table, with InuYasha and Kagome taking seats alongside Negi and his girls at one of the four long House tables lined up in the main area. Negi could've sat at the Head Table with the rest of the teachers, but he felt his place was with his students.

* * *

"Wow. Never thought we'd be coming back here again, huh Harry?" Ron Weasley asked Harry Potter as they climbed the stone stairs up to the castle. They weren't alone either; they were joined by more than 10 of their old acquaintances from school, friend and foe alike. More the former, of course, than the latter.

"Yeah, mate. I can't believe it," Harry replied happily. "But somehow I feel bad. I mean, wizards are dying right now on the other side of the world and we're not doing anything about it. It just doesn't feel right."

"Well you heard what those blokes said, Harry. Confront them as we are now and it'll just add to the head count. The Ministry is already collaborating with foreign countries to evacuate the civilians to safe haven. Besides, while we're here, we might just be able to play some Quidditch again, just like old times."

"Oh, Ron! All you think about is Quidditch," Hermione said as she caught up with the two best friends. She had married Ron the previous year, and she was still having doubts as to Ron's maturity, but then, that wasn't the reason why she married him. "Perhaps you boys would rather invest in studying this year. You never finished your education here."

"Boys will be boys, Hermione," Ginny said as she came up alongside her husband. "Personally, I wouldn't mind a little Quidditch myself. I know someone else who'd love to step onto that pitch again."

"Someone mention me and Quidditch in the same sentence?" her brother George said, popping his head out from behind her shoulder. George Weasley was now the owner of Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes, a joke shop started by George and his late brother, Fred, who had been killed just over six years ago. The shop was now the premier joke shop of the wizarding world, a real money spinner. He was also a former member of the Griffindor Quidditch team. The concept of playing his favorite sport again was always a turn-on.

"Oh, forget that," Hermione continued. "What I've got to see is this Professor Springfield. I mean, this is absurd! Letting a child teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. It should be Harry. He taught Dumbledore's Army eight years ago, he defeated Voldemort. Harry deserves to teach."

"I agree," Ginny piped in. "After all, he taught Dumbledore's Army."

"Well, Hermione, if you think I should, perhaps we should challenge him, see how good he really is. I guess anyone can say they took on someone worse than Voldemort, but if so, wouldn't we have known about it?" Harry said as they reached the top.

"Exactly, so there's every reason to see for ourselves and –. Hey, what do you mean 'we'?" Ron retorted as they walked through the doors.

"Heh. I'd take a child-teacher to Potter any day. Chances are a little brat could probably teach the kids more than _he_ ever could. At least the kid'll be among his own kind," sneered Draco Malfoy as they turned into the Great Hall. "Hogwarts could use some new blood." He still hadn't fully accepted the reality that Harry had saved his life more than once during the Battle of Hogwarts six years ago.

"Ah, shuddup, Malfoy," Ron said out the side of his mouth. "Why'd he have to come back with us too?" he added under his breath

As the group of former Hogwarts students took their seats at their respective tables, corresponding to their former House placement, the red-robed InuYasha watched them intently. He didn't like the looks of several of them, such the dreamy-eyed Luna Lovegood, who always looked like she was in her own world, staring off into space; the tall and wiry Weasley brothers; the tall, round-faced Neville Longbottom; and bringing up the rear, the tall and skinny, white-blond-haired Malfoy and the ever-so-bulky-and-stupid-looking Gregory Goyle.

As they passed, Shippo pointed at Malfoy and Goyle and whispered to InuYasha, "That's them, InuYasha; the yellow-haired guy and the stupid-looking one. They're the ones that hurt me."

"You're gonna need to be more specific, Shippo. More than one of 'em look pretty dumb to me, like that one," he said gesturing towards Luna. "That woman looks like she's been in a daydream her whole life. Really weird."

"It's the shaved-ape-type man with the first guy!" Shippo said angrily, jumping up on the table and forcing InuYasha's head in Goyle's direction. "Now go and beat them up!"

"Are you nuts?!" InuYasha retorted under his breath, grabbing Shippo by the tail and holding him up to look in his eyes. "Look, little man, if I play my cards right, I can kick their asses without getting in trouble. Know what I'm saying? I'm teaching hand-to-hand combat, so if they take my class, no problems."

"Wow, that's pretty smart of you, InuYasha. I guess even you have your moments of brilliance."

"What was that, you little shrimp?" InuYasha growled, pinching and pulling on Shippo's cheek.

"Quiet down, you two. McGonagall's about to speak," Kagome shushed him. "And put Shippo down before I have to say IT again."

In his surprise and fear at her remark, combined with his haste to obey, InuYasha dropped Shippo on his head.

* * *

Next Chapter: the prelude to a stunning series of matches between Negi and Harry and Co. Plus, I'm trying to work in a flashback in the next one, and flashbacks are not one of my strong suits. Therefore, the next update is in 5 days.


	20. Urgent Notice!

I seem to be at an impasse where I require some assistance.

Because the manga releases have been kind of slow lately, I'd like a little help establishing a key part of my story. It revolves around Fate, and it refers to the Code of the Lifemaker staff he is constantly carrying in recent online manga chapters.

There is no telling how he came upon it, and he certainly didn't have it when he fought Negi at the Gateport. In addition, it has the power to rewrite anything that is from the Magic World, which he claims to be "illusionary." I think it has something to do with Asuna.

SO, here's my theory: Fate made some sort of pactio with Asuna after he lifted the spell sealing her memories, and this is the artifact that was created.

Do you agree with this theory? Does it make sense or seem possible?

Please respond and tell me, because this will help greatly when it comes to moving this story along. Negi has only told the basics of what he knows about Fate. He needs to explain more, and SOON. So please tell me what you think. I need all the help I can get from my fellow Negima experts!

P.S. - The next chapter still will come in three days as planned.


	21. Chapter 17: Negi’s Triple Challenge

Disclaimer: I'm more tired than usual today, so I'm not going to go to the trouble of saying I don't own anything.

* * *

Thanks for the input. I've been doing a great deal of thinking about the matter of Fate's Code of the Lifemaker, as well as the relationship between Negi and Asuna. Since they're both members of the Royal Family, I have a really, _really_ bad feeling that they, or at least Asuna, may be directly related to the Mage of the Beginning. Ugh! What a frightening thought! If their greatest enemy is actually their ancestor. I don't know about you guys, but I _seriously_ hope I'm wrong about this!

* * *

Negi's Triple Challenge

Negi couldn't believe that it had come to this. One minute he is enjoying dinner, telling Flitwick and Slughorn stories of Mahora, and all the mayhem that had gone with it, and all of a sudden, Harry Potter's friends had challenged him to not one, not two, but three challenges the very next morning, bright and early, and to make matters worse, if he lost any of them, he would have to forfeit his position as Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts. He could still hear Hermione and Ginny saying a child wasn't qualified. Then, Neville and Luna had suggested three kinds of challenges for him to face them in. They were a sword match, a Quidditch match, and then an all-out wizard's duel against Dumbledore's Army, whatever that was.

"I thought I'd already proved myself worthy," he sighed as he walked down to the edge of the huge loch for his morning training, his long staff holstered on his back, and a sheath containing a small gladius, an ancient Roman short sword, strapped to his hip (Negi loved collecting antique weapons and artifacts). Negi's attire included a tight, form-fitting black shirt and pants, and simple brown sneakers. A combat mage should to be comfortable without losing freedom of movement. Over this simple, yet effective combat uniform, he wore his trademark hooded white cloak, the hem of which was rather tattered and jagged. The cloak hadn't always been like this. The tattered hem was from taking all of Takamichi's attacks during the Mahora Budokai back in the spring, and another thing that hadn't always been there was a dodgeball-sized hole in the right shoulder. His cloak had been damaged when he was fatally wounded not long ago. That he'd managed to escape death in that situation had been nothing less than a miracle.

The morning dew still hadn't left the ground. For many months time now, Negi had been studying martial arts, training under several masters in the ways of fighting, one of them his own student, Fei Ku, and another a friend and former comrade of his father's.

When he reached the waterfront, he took a fighting position and slowly took a deep breath in and out. His first exercise was to make himself completely calm. The more emotion a fighter gives his enemy, the more obvious his intentions become, and the easier his moves become to dodge.

The first thing he did was test his punching strength, standing ankle-deep in the cool, refreshing water, focusing his magical energy to his fist and punching forward with all of his might. The mere force of his punch nearly split the entire lake from top to bottom, kicking up huge waves that crashed down with great force. But before the waves crashed down, Negi swore he saw he saw several tentacles appear from deep in the loch. _What?_ he thought. "But this isn't Loch Ness!"

Satisfied with this test of strength, he stepped back a few paces, took a ready position and started performing katas.

"Damn! All that noise'll wake up the entire castle!" came a voice behind him.

The boy has been so absorbed in his own movements that he didn't hear the footsteps or sense the presence of the man walking toward him. "Feh! A little brat like you shouldn't be out this early! What the Hell makes you so damn determined anyway? Why go through all this?" InuYasha said audaciously, as he sat down on the moist ground several paces away from where the now-stationary boy stood.

"You probably wouldn't understand," Negi whispered as he looked toward the still-rising sun.

"Hah! Yeah I get that a lot. People don't think I'm capable of understanding their reasoning for what they do every day, but just try me. I just might surprise you, kid," InuYasha grunted, folding his arms in front of his chest, his eyes locked on the young boy.

"I never knew my dad."

"Huh?"

"My father is a hero and a great man. Ten years ago, he disappeared without a trace, but I know for a fact that he's still alive. He appeared out of nowhere and saved me seven years ago when my village was attacked and destroyed by demons and all the villagers were turned to stone. That's when he gave me this," Negi said, pulling the staff from his back and clutching it in both hands. By now, he had InuYasha's full attention. "I know for a fact that he's out there somewhere, alive. My only desire is to meet him again, just long enough to find out more about him. I know what he is, but I want ... I want to know more. I want to know who he is. And for that purpose, I need power. I've come a long way in the past several months' time, but I'm just not strong enough yet. Is that the answer you were looking for, InuYasha?"

InuYasha was beginning to see Negi in a whole new light. Initially, he thought Negi was just some snob, but now he saw the boy was the real deal. _We're more alike than I thought._ "Pretty much. Just one more thing, though. What's with all the girls, huh? What are you, some kind of underage playboy or somethin'?" the half demon asked, lying on his side and propping himself up on his elbow, a deviant look on his face.

"Well, don't take this the wrong way, but they're my partners."

InuYasha fell face-first into a big puddle of muck. "P-p-p-p-p-p-partners?!!" InuYasha sputtered, hacking up entire mouthfuls of mud. "As in what? Sex partners? But you're too young for that!" _What is this kid?! Some kind of Mega-Miroku or something?! And at age 10 no less?! That's just not normal!_

"What?! No! That's not what I meant! You see, it's like this –" but before Negi could finish his sentence, he heard a great number of squishing footsteps coming towards them. Half of them were rubbing their eyes and ears. Apparently it was time for his triple challenge to begin. First up, Negi versus Neville Longbottom in an old-fashioned sword duel.

* * *

Yeah, I know! The flashback plan fell through. I've never done a flashback and don't know how to integrate something that wasn't originally there without completely re-writing everything. Sorry if I disappointed anyone, but I'll soon make up for it. The time for Negi to clash with the previous generation of young wizards is upon us!

* * *

The following four chapters will be posted in intervals of three days. I'm trying to get a job writing reviews for anime while still in college, so it's going to be a little tough to stick to these self-imposed deadlines, however. So please try to grin and bear it.


	22. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I wish I owned this stuff, especially now.

* * *

All right, I know this is a little unexpected. I mean, Harry is just as good as using the sword as Neville, but I've already got plans for Harry, so now I'm letting Neville have his turn in the spotlight. Please R & R.

* * *

Mahora's Boy Genius vs. Gryffindor's Witless Wonder

Neville's heart was racing as he approached the lake, accompanied by the usual crowd (all of his friends, the teachers, and even a non-friend or two, with a few of Negi's girls bringing up the rear). He hadn't felt a rush like this in years. In his hand, he held a gleaming silver sword with a glittering, rubied handle, the Sword of Godric Gryffindor, the sword that had taken the lives of two particularly vicious serpents back when he had been in school. Neville himself had used this blade to slay Nagini, Voldemort's pet snake only six years ago. Now, he was about to use it again, against a human opponent who was less than half his age.

"You sure about this, Neville?" Harry asked him as they got to the clearing where the dual was to take place. Neville could see the concern on his friend's face.

"I was last night, but now I'm not so sure," Neville confessed in a low voice. "Sure, on the surface, he looks like an ordinary first year, but I haven't held a sword in years. I don't think I can do this. I'd be more confident if I could use a wand in this battle."

"Don't worry, Neville. If things look bad, we'll step in," Ron piped in, patting the nervous young man on the back. "He's only 10 or 11 years old after all. How much combat experience could he have? You once challenged Voldemort, the most sadistic wizard to ever walk the Earth. Have you forgotten that already? How bad can it possibly get?"

"Hah! I'll say," chortled Malfoy from several paces behind him. "Look at the facts, Longbottom. You've got that full-length sword, and look at that little toy he's got there." He indicated the small sword at Negi's hip. "Plus, you've got the size advantage. I'm betting McGonagall and the others let him win," he added with a laugh.

"Um, y-you really shouldn't underestimate Professor Springfield," the timid Nodoka Miyazaki said from behind him, brushing her purple hair out of her eyes. "I've seen him defeat opponents and creatures of incredible size and power. He may look young but he's actually stronger than most adults."

"Hm. Well I still don't see what's so special about him," Malfoy said, surveying Negi with his cool, grey eyes.

"B-but …" she protested, but Asakura stopped her, drawing her aside.

"Don't waste your breath, Bookworm," she whispered in her ear. "The idiot will just have to learn for himself."

"We'll find out soon enough," Hermione said, thinking. "But there's something about his name, 'Springfield.' I swear I've seen that name somewhere before. If I'm right, there is definitely more to him than meets the eye."

"All right, all right. Let's get this started already," Evangeline's voice spoke all of a sudden. Everyone looked up to find her sitting in mid-air some ten feet over their heads. "The rules for this duel are as follows. This duel is with swords only, meaning wands are forbidden. There will be no time limit. This duel will only end if one of two things happens, which are if the Longbottom-boy lands one blow on the kid with his sword, or if he becomes unable to hold onto his sword, and that does not include disarming. Understood?"

"'Unable to hold my sword, and without disarming'," Neville whispered in shock. "Does that mean what I think it means?"

"And don't worry. Paramedics are standing by," Evangeline said with a smirk. "Just in case. So don't you dare hold back. If you do, boy, I shall know. I let you live the other day. This time, I might not be so generous, depending on the outcome," she finished, looking at Negi.

Negi nodded and walked over to Nodoka, pulling the staff from his back. "Nodoka, would you hold this for me?"

"Of course, Professor," she said shyly, her blue eyes meeting his brown ones.

As he took his position, Negi was sure he heard Evangeline say, "Remember, no mercy, unless you want another painful lesson."

When both Negi and Neville were in position to begin, with weapons drawn, Evangeline raised her hand high and shouted, "INCEPTE!"

Negi was about to charge when Neville cried out, "Wait! What's that supposed to mean?"

Evangeline fell right out of the air head-first with a sickening THUD. "It means 'begin' you baka! SHEESH!" she yelled as she got up holding her head.

"Oh, right. Wait, what's a 'baka'?" Neville said just in time to see Negi running straight at him. He barely had enough time to bring up his sword to block Negi's first thrust. Because Negi's sword was so small, that meant he needed to get in close, placing Neville's full-length sword at a disadvantage. Neville swung hard horizontally, forcing Negi to jump back. Sensing that this was his chance, he advanced, swinging the gleaming blade with all his might. To his surprise and delight, he was gradually pushing Negi back.

* * *

Over on the sidelines, Neville's friends were cheering him on with gusto. "Come on, Neville. Keep it coming. You can win this!" Ron was yelling at the top of his lungs.

"I don't get it," Harry said, pondering something. "I was left with the impression that this kid was a great warrior, but after that first strike, he hasn't attacked at all. What's he doing? What's he waiting for?"

"That's right, Harry," Ron agreed. "If he really was a great warrior, he could've beat Neville several times already."

"Good question, Harry. I wish I knew," said Hermione, deep in thought.

"Like I said, it's clear he'll lose," Malfoy laughed. "The kid's just a wimp who got lucky, after all."

"I just don't understand it," Setsuna said walking up to where they were all gathered, a yawning Konoka right behind her, still in her pajamas. "Professor Negi shouldn't be losing like this. Either that sword is stronger than it seems, or he's planning something."

Konoka snapped awake as she heard the next clash of Neville's blade against Negi's. "Negi!" she gasped. "What's going on, Setsuna?! Why is Negi losing?" she asked, looking from Negi to Neville and back again.

"I wish I could answer that, Miss Konoka," she answered politely, taking Konoka's hand while keeping her eyes on the combatants. "But I still say anything could happen at this point."

"You're wrong," InuYasha declared out of nowhere. "Negi will win. That much is clear to me."

"How so, InuYasha?" Kagome inquired sleepily, crouching down next to where he sat.

"Yes, mysterious dog-man. Neville's winning, so how can you say he'll lose," Luna asked in her dreamy voice.

"Look at the way he moves. He's swinging his sword wildly, putting all of his weight behind each swing, plus he's maxing himself out. Now, look at how Negi is moving. There's no wasted movement and he's blocking all the hits before they come close to be a real threat, even though his sword is smaller and more flimsy," InuYasha explained. "And what do you mean, 'dog-man'?!!!" he snarled in Luna's direction.

"So? What's your point?" Ron blurted out, totally lost.

"Let me tell you something my jackass older brother told me a few months ago. If Neville can't use the sword properly, then it's no better than a wooden club. I quote: 'A sword can live or die depending on its master.' Basically, it's not the weapon, but the person wielding it. Negi telegraphed that first move a little too much, but I think he meant for Neville to block it. I bet he wants him to be confident so he'll be more aggressive. The kid wants a fair fight, with both guys getting into it.

"In addition, Neville is giving too much emotion, while Negi is staying perfectly calm. Remember what I said about telegraphing your movements?

"Plus, look at how he's easily parrying all those other attacks. All a warrior worth his own soul needs to see is one adjustment of the body, and he knows where the attack will come from before it's attempted. Basically, Negi knows how Neville will move before _he_ does. The kid's just toying with him. I think he's about to turn this whole thing around. Just watch."

Harry and his friends glued their eyes to the match unfolding in front of them. And then, it happened.

* * *

Neville made an almighty slash, knocking Negi's blade out of his hand and sending it sailing into the water. Negi immediately retreated several meters with a reverse shundo jutsu. Not wasting any time, he thrust his hand into a pouch hidden behind his back, took out what looked like a ring and slid it onto his left index-finger.

Knowing this couldn't be a good sign, Neville rushed Negi yet again. He swung his blade down toward Negi's head as hard as he could, but Negi was ready for him. With a great WHOOSH and a VRUMMM, a glowing blade of colorless energy extended from Negi's left hand to parry Gryffindor's sword. Neville was so shocked he stumbled backward and fell on his backside.

Everyone gasped. It was as though this sword was actually _part_ of Negi's arm.

"Hey, that must be against the rules!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed in outrage. "This is supposed to be a duel with swords, not magic!"

But Evangeline only laughed and everyone looked up at her. "It's the Sword of the Executioner. I developed that spell myself. It's still a sword, so it's legal! Besides, I said wands were illegal, but I never said anything about rings." _He learned it from me just by observation. He has unparalleled analytical skills._ "And by the way," she went on, looking down on them. "There's less than a handful of blades in this world that can take a blow from the _Ensis Exsequens_ without snapping like a twig! The Longbottom boy should consider himself lucky."

Not taking his eyes off Neville, he stretched his right hand towards the water and shouted, "_Accio gladius!_" To the great shock of the spectators, the blade burst out of the water, spinning wildly like a flying buzz saw. Still, Negi didn't watch the sword; he just kept staring into Neville's eyes. The sword didn't have a hilt or a guard, with just a length of thin cloth wrapped around the handle. If he made a grab for it a second too early or late, his hand would be hacked off.

"What's he thinking?!" InuYasha yelled in disbelief.

"Is he stupid?" Malfoy sneered. "What a loser!"

"He'll lose his arm!" Hermione cried out in fear.

"Look out!" Neville shouted, quickly becoming unnerved.

Without warning, Negi grabbed the sword, his fingers closing neatly around the handle. The crowd couldn't believe their eyes, especially Harry. Grabbing a spinning blade without even looking.

_Could he be…?_ But before Harry could finish his thought, Negi started chanting quietly.

Neville knew instinctively that was a bad sign. _If he can use magic without a wand, I'm in big trouble_. He let out a big war scream, pulled back and charged again, but it was too late.

Negi held his hand out in front of him and chanted, "_Deflexio!_" Neville struck, but the sword just seemed to collide with a wall of air. The blow was disrupted to the point that it missed Negi by half a foot. Neville was dumbfounded, but he tried again.

_There's something about that sword. Somehow, it shattered my Deflexio._ Before Neville could attack again, Negi put his free hand to the flat-side of the blade of his sword and released his spell. "_Emittam! Sagitta Magica una fulguratio!_" A small bolt of lightning jumped from his hand and struck his own sword, sending visible pulses of electricity running throughout the blade. Negi pointed his lightning-charged sword at Neville and said, "Let's try this. Come at me!"

Neville answered his challenge and charged once again. Their swords collided with an almighty CLANG! To Negi's surprise, the lightning in his sword seemed to fizzle out. At that instant, as he pushed against Neville's sword with his own, he understood. The sword of Gryffindor was capable of cutting through weaker spells. The Ensis Exsequens was a very advanced spell, so it wasn't effected. In order to win, Negi would have to get serious.

"That's it! Hey! You two had better finish this in the next minute, or I will by killing you both!!" Evangeline shouted from where she floated, her lips curling back to reveal her vampire fangs.

_Well, that settles it, then_. Negi jumped back again, raised his sword high over his head, and thrust it into a large stone that was at his feet and stretched his hand to the sky. "_Incipio confestim vis magica! __Unus fulgor concidens noctem, in mea manu ens inimicum edat! FULGURATIO ALBICANS!_" His hand began to crackle and pulse with lightning ready to jump free and fry whatever it struck, but suddenly, he closed his hand over it and shouted, "_Supplementum!!_" Negi's body had turned black, and his right hand was engulfed in a blazing aura of white-blue energy, but that wasn't all. His entire appearance had changed; his eyes and skin had gone completely black, and his hair looked snow white. His expression had changed as well; it wasn't the face of a kind child, but the face of a battle-hardened warrior. It was intense, yet calm and passive. He was now ready to end this duel at last. He knew that by doing this, he was going against what the Headmaster of Mahora had told him, but rules were meant to be broken.

"That's it! That clinches it," Kotaro said with a smirk. "Neville's finished now."

"What the FUCK is this?" InuYasha exclaimed. His hair was sticking out in all directions from all the electricity in the air.

"What is he?!" Professor McGonagall yelled over the roar of Negi's aura.

"He's used this spell before," Nodoka said in a strained, trembling voice. "This will be over before Mr. Longbottom even knows what happened." Her words were proven right almost instantly.

Negi coiled his fingers around the handle of his gladius and extracted the sword from the ground.

ZOOM! TAP!

Before anyone could actually register the movement, Negi was right in front of Neville and had tapped the flat side of his blade on Neville's shoulder.

"Whoa!" Neville gasped, not even daring to move, lest the edge of the sword cut into his neck.

"How did he do that?!" McGonagall exclaimed, voicing the thoughts of every teacher. "I swear he didn't move an inch. Then how could he have moved like that?"

"BOOYAH!" Kotaro yelled. "Shukuchi, baby! A move so quick, the eyes don't even register movement until it's too late! Oh, and by the way, kids at home, swearing is bad."

Neville cringed and waited for the pain, but nothing happened. "Well, that wasn't so bad," he sighed. "But you did shock me there with that teleportation move," he smiled at Negi.

"Why thank you," Negi said, smiling back. "But that was just the first step." He suddenly clutched the handle of his sword as tightly as he could and whispered, "_Dextra Emittam! BYAKURAI NO TSURUGI!_"

All at once, the lightning he had taken into his arm was immediately transferred into the sword, and subsequently, into Neville's body.

Neville shrieked out in pain and collapsed to the ground, dropping the sword of Griffindor. He just lay there, his body smoking.

Negi took a deep breath, his aura dying down and his body returning to normal. He didn't have the face of a hardened killer anymore, and was back to the kind, gentle boy-wizard they all knew. He sheathed his sword and rushed over to Neville, uttering the word, "_Dispulsatio!_," running his hands over Neville's twitching body, and removing the electric charge still ailing him.

Asuna picked up Neville's fallen sword and handed it to Negi, who put it in his belt as he helped Neville to his feet. "Don't worry," he whispered in Neville's ear. "We'll get you fixed up in no time."

"You could've told me I had no chance against you, you know?" Neville said weakly as Negi supported him as he was walked back to where his friends were waiting for him. "You totally fried me there."

"I think it's best that I showed everyone that I'm not the weak child I appear to be," Negi answered simply. "You guys would never have believed me otherwise."

The teachers were in disbelief, their mouths agape. Not only could Professor Springfield perform magic feats they had never seen before, but he could also remove lightning residue from a body damaged by it. In all their years, they'd never seen anything like it. "Well, now we've seen it for ourselves. This is Magia Erebea. And I get the feeling this is just the tip of the iceberg," said Flitwick, wiping the sweat from his face with a checkered handkerchief. "We were foolish to think this boy could lose to anyone in our world. Professor Springfield is untouchable, unbeatable, invincible, a true man among boys, a legend in his own right."

It was clear that Negi had seen and done things unheard of to them. The magic that he used was on a completely different level all together.

"Well then," Negi said as he walked over to the crowd, still supporting Neville. "I guess it's our turn, Mr. Potter. I've heard your specialty is Quidditch. I look forward to this."

"You don't know the half of it," Harry said with a big, competitive smile. "If my suspicions about you are true, this is going to be one Quidditch match unlike any other. I'll go back to the castle and fetch my Firebolt and meet you at the pitch in thirty minutes, along with the Quidditch gear."

Harry had no clue how right he was about their upcoming match. The Battle of the Seekers was just a short time away, and everyone was going to remember it.

* * *

Translations:

Incepte - Begin / Start (I'm guessing)

Baka - Idiot / Dummy / Dunce / Moron ... you get the idea!

Ensis Exsequens - Sword of the Executioner

Unus Fulgor Concidens Noctem, in Mea Manu Ens Inimicum Edat! Fulguratio Albicans! - A bolt of lightning to cut through the night, spring forth from my hand and throttle my enemy! White Lightning!

Supplementum - Supplement (Draws magic into the body, but doesn't merge with it completely)

Shukuchi - Ground Contraction

Dextra Emittam - Right Arm Release

Byakurai no Tsurugi - Blade of White Lightning (my own clever adaptation of the Byakuraisho (White Lightning Fist (Technically, sho means palm)))

Dispulsatio - Cancel

* * *

Well, how do you like that? If Neville had so much raw ability with a sword, why did he only have one chance to use it in the last book? I guess now Negi can come up with finishing moves that are both effective and creative, and also sound cool. No need for the Eternal Negi Fever now! Thank God! What was Rakan thinking when he decided that that was now Negi's new finishing move?

Anyway, I think Flitwick sums it up pretty damn well if you ask me. The teachers are awed by Negi's display of speed, power and ability, but how will our Harry Potter friends react?

Find out next time, when we pause for a brief intermission. See you in three days! Peace out!


	23. Chapter 19 Intermission of a Lifetime

Disclaimer: I want to own these things so much, it's not even funny ... but I don't ... and I guess I just have to except that. **(This chapter has been updated and fixed as of4/25/10)**

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So I decided to release the Intermission chapter a little early. Big whoop! Want to fight about it? LOL.

Anyway, I got the second-most hits in a single day the other day, and I'm really pleased with the readership I'm receiving. Still, I'm a bit low on the review front. If you've got a comment or an opinion, good or bad, preferably good though, I want to hear it.

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Intermission of a Lifetime

As Harry set out towards the castle, he was still reeling from simply observing that spectacle. _That boy truly is amazing_, he thought. _My Quidditch match with him is going to be more fun than I would have thought_.

Back at the clearing, however, things were not going very well. Malfoy was now in a vile rant about Negi.

"What in the world is this?!" he was shouting. "This little child just conjured pure lightning in his bare hand. We don't need his kind here. Besides, if the world's in danger, then what's he doing here? Why doesn't he just go save the world? Huh?!"

"Leave him alone, Malfoy!" Ginny and Hermione retorted in Negi's defense.

"Yeah. Just because he uses different magic than we do doesn't mean he's a danger to us at all," Ron added. "So just piss off, Malfoy."

"Face it, you fools. He's a freak. And another thing: what's with these mudblood _hussies_ and the pint–sized _mutt__–__boy_ following him around. He's definitely –" but before Malfoy could finish, people around him started shouting all at once.

Even InuYasha was upset. This made him remember the first time Koga had called him, a "Mutt–face." Hearing Negi and Kotaro chastised like that had sent him into a fixed rage, but before he could start tearing Malfoy limb from limb with his bare hands, Kagome had to make him "Sit" to discipline him.

Suddenly, someone grabbed Malfoy by his leg and hung him upside down, several feet off the ground. Malfoy looked around to see who it was who dared to put their hands on him, and when he finally found his face, his heart missed a beat. He was staring into the face of a taller, more adult version of Kotaro. Normally, the boy wore a black jacket over a white shirt with black pants, but this Kotaro was wearing an un–tucked–in white collared shirt, with a armored metal gauntlet called a manica that nearly covered his entire left arm, and black pants, but now much of them was shown, due to the white, boots covering his feet up to his thighs. They looked like they had been made of flexible leather.

"You wanna try saying that again?" he growled angrily. Malfoy tried to bring his wand around, but a well–aimed swat knocked it clean out of his hand. "I don't think so," the new Kotaro said mockingly.

"What just happened?" Ron started. "And what the heck is he wearing?" _And what's with those boots?_

"It's his gladiator uniform," Chisame told him. "It's a long story, but suffice to say that for a time, he and Professor Negi were fighting in a league of magical gladiators back in that fantasy world of theirs. I guess he saw fit to hang on to his battle uniform just in case."

Suddenly, Malfoy felt himself rising higher and higher into the air. Without meaning to, he looked down, making his heart sink. They were now twenty feet in the air.

"Wait," McGonagall cried out. "How is he doing that?"

"Look at his feet!" Flitwick shouted, pointing.

It was true. Hovering near Kotaro's feet were two churning wheels of black energy. But nobody dared do anything. If they forced Kotaro to let go, Malfoy could break his neck.

"So that's how he does it," Kagome analyzed. "He uses those wheels to fly." _Just like Hiten did_. She was referring to a demon whom InuYasha had fought not long after their journey together had started. The wheels Hiten had used to fly made him unreachable for InuYasha, but once Kagome had shot one of the wheels with an arrow, InuYasha succeeded in bringing the demon down.

"Let me go, you mongrel!" Malfoy seethed. "You're making the blood go to my head."

"Careful," Kotaro whispered in Malfoy's ear. "I'm the only one holding you up, and what you're saying is making me pretty angry. Keep talking like that, and I … just … might … let … go!" He loosened his pinky finger. "You might want to apologize before I get any ideas."

"Never!"

"Very well then. That was 'Eeny'. So next is 'Meeny'." This time the ring finger released its grip, but Malfoy still didn't fall. "As you can see, Negi isn't the only strong one out of all of us. Go ahead. I dare you to provoke me. Who knows? You might make it past the next finger."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Fine. 'Miny'." The middle finger released its hold on Malfoy's leg. Now, Kotaro had a look of utter amusement on his face. "Boy, I can't remember the last time I did this. I love it! The look on your face: priceless!"

"You stop this. Put me down right now or else!" Malfoy roared, his restraint long gone, and his face bright red.

"All right then. You asked for it. 'Moe'." And he let go completely.

"Whaaaaaaaa," Malfoy started to scream, but it didn't last long before he hit the ground with a wet splat, much sooner than he had though he would. Unbeknownst to him, Kotaro had lowered himself about three or four feet with each finger he removed from Malfoy's leg, so by the time he let go, they were only five to eight feet up, not a fall nearly high enough to die from. Malfoy had been so focused on Kotaro, he never even realized.

_Gets 'em every time_, Kotaro thought with amusement, lowering himself to the ground and restoring himself to his true, youthful self.

"Pffffft," Malfoy spluttered as he spit out a mouthful of mud. "I'll get you for this, you mutt. You hear me? Goyle! I think it's time to teach these _kids_ how to behave toward their superiors," he said in his high–and–mighty tone.

"When you say that, you don't mean yourself, do you?" By now, Setsuna had also appeared at Malfoy's side, her wings extended and the tip of her nodachi an inch from his neck. As soon as Malfoy realized where he was, he froze. Not only was Setsuna holding up a sword, but Kaede had now pulled out a huge, four–pointed ninja star out of nowhere and was holding it behind her back, as if daring him to provoke her to use it. Plus, Asuna had somehow pulled out a huge sword and was holding it over her head, threatening to chop him cleanly in half.

"How dare you insult Miss Konoka and my friends? We're Professor Negi's partners, damn you! And we're ALL VIRGINS, here! Don't you DARE lump us together with lowly prostitutes," Setsuna hissed, her eyebrows twitching violently. She gestured over towards where Konoka was standing. There were tears in her eyes. "I won't allow anyone to insult Miss Konoka's honor and get away with it."

A moment later, she was behind him, sheathing her sword. Within an instant, Malfoy's robes started falling apart, as though they'd been cut by an invisible scissor. Even his pants were slashed to bits. In no time at all, he was standing there in his undergarments. Now a look of utter terror was on his face. _These people are gonna kill me! For real!!_ he couldn't stop himself from thinking.

"Not to mention calling me a mutt, you son of a bitch! (Heh! I made a funny.) Plus, you're more of a freak than Negi is, as far as I'm concerned. And I'd know, after all the shady people I've worked with in the past, but you're something else all together! You may think you're high–class, but Negi's a freakin' Prince, and that makes you nothing more than a mere maggot compared to Negi!!" Kotaro howled. His hair was starting to turn white, and he began to bare his fangs, grabbing the man's neck and bringing his claws, which seemed to be growing in length inches from Malfoy's face, intent on ripping his face apart. "Ooooh, I oughta slit your throat right HERE, you little –"

SNAP!

The sound wasn't loud, but it seemed to echo throughout the clearing. "Snap?!" Kotaro and Malfoy said in unison. Kotaro let go of Malfoy's neck and turned to look behind him.

Negi's body had gone totally black, so much so that everything around him looked white–as–snow in comparison. An insidious black aura towered over their heads, almost knocking Evangeline out of the air. A series of white, flowing tattoo–like marks had appeared on Negi's arms, and a darker–than–black mist was beginning to envelop him. He was now slowly walking towards Malfoy. "Come here," he said, his voice no longer kind and gentle, but full of murderous intent, and it was deep and warped. He looked angry enough to slash Malfoy's neck from ear–to–ear with his bare hands and rip out his tongue through the hole. "Out of my way, Kotaro."

"P– P – P– P – P – Professor?!" Nodoka gasped, tears in her eyes. _OH NO! Please don't do it. It's just like THAT time!_ "NO! DON'T DO IT, PLEASE!" she sobbed.

"Come on, Negi. Don't get like that, or you really will kill him," Kotaro said nervously, holding his hands up soothingly, trying to calm the enraged boy down.

"Listen to him, please!" Malfoy begged Negi, down on both knees, bowing low. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I take it back. Please don't hurt me."

"Shut up," Negi growled, walking closer and closer. He now looked like an ogre. His hair looked like it was extending ten times over, and multiple spikes were beginning to sprout all over his body, as well as a tail, all made of pure dark energy. The marks on his arms were multiplying in size, so much so that they completely detached from his arms and now hovered beside him. Everything about him was now blacker–than–black, and more menacing than anything anyone had ever seen before.

"You see? You see?!!" Malfoy said frantically, pointing at Negi. "I told you he was a monster. He's gonna kill me!!!"

"What the hell?!" InuYasha exclaimed, grabbing the Tetsusaiga, preparing to draw the huge blade. "Is he some kind of demon or something?"

"No!" Professor Flitwick squeaked. "This is the encroachment of the Dark Magic. It's what happens when he becomes too deeply enraged. It would be a miracle if we can get him back to his own self now." Dashing in front of Negi in desperation, he whipped out his wand to try to restrain the enraged boy, but before he could utter a single incantation, Negi let out a blood–curdling roar and knocked him aside, continuing to advance.

"Somebody, stop him!" Nodoka sobbed loudly, covering her eyes. "I can't – I can't – I can't bear to see him this way!" She began to dash forward in a desperate attempt to sooth the savage beast that was her teacher.

Before Negi could reach the now petrified–with–fear Malfoy, however, Asuna's fist came out of nowhere and punched Malfoy ten meters across the field. "If I EVER hear you say those things again, I'll break your freakin' face! Understood?" Asuna shrieked, stomping over and lifting him up by the collar.

"DAMN SKIPPY!!" Chamo added from her shoulder, flipping Malfoy the finger. "Next time, it'll be Negi doing the punchin'. And when Negi's hits you when he's like that, the least you can expect is an obliterated head!"

"And YOU!!!" she screamed, turning around and smacking Negi in the face with a long folded paper fan with a steel handle that just seemed to appear out of nowhere in her hand. Negi went sailing across the field and skidded to a stop 20 meters away. "What the HELL were you thinking Negi?!!!!"

"They're quite right, Mr. Malfoy," snarled Professor McGonagall, shaking her finger in Malfoy's direction. "You deserved more than you got, so consider yourself lucky."

"Quite right yourself, Professor. Excuse me. I apologize in advance," was all they heard. Negi was back to his usual self. The hit from Asuna's harisen had completely dispelled the encroachment, and sent him so far that he was now waist deep in the water. Suddenly, he vanished without even sending out a ripple through the water and appeared at Malfoy's side, spinning laterally. "HAKKYOKUKEN TENSHINKODA!!!" Negi delivered a devastating backhand punch to the small of Malfoy's naked back, sending him sprawling to the ground, screaming in agony and clutching his back, where an unsightly bruise was already beginning to form. Negi felt the bones of the man's back crack as his fist struck its target. "Don't worry. I held back a great deal. I think you should know something, Mr. Malfoy. I hate to hold grudges. You can say what you like about me, but _anyone_ who insults _my_ girls has to answer to ME," he said with absolute authority, silently summoning his staff and holding it an inch from Malfoy's nose. "The fact is: I'm here because I'm NOT strong enough. Quite honestly, none of us are. That's why we need to work together and learn from each other. I hate getting others involved in my affairs, but there seems to be no other choice. With this staff, I defended my mother's home world from a great threat, and now I must defend my father's home world against a much greater threat, by any means necessary if I must, but in order to do that, I need everyone's help!"

"Hmph! Well said, Negi, well said," Kotaro laughed, clapping Negi's shoulder. "You know, you really scared me back there. How come you never told _me_ about that transformation, huh? I mean, come on. You almost made me piss myself."

"So don't mess with us, BEEYOTCH?!!!" Chamo raved as he jumped onto Negi's shoulder, still shooting Malfoy the one–finger–salute, as Goyle ran up and pulled Malfoy to his feet. He lumbered back to the castle, supporting Malfoy all the way, Madam Pomfrey at their heels. Malfoy was too battered from his ordeal to walk on his own.

"Hello, hello, hello. Hey, what's all this now?" came out of nowhere. Harry and Madam Hooch, the hawk–eyed Quidditch teacher, were standing at the edge of the clearing, holding the box containing the Quidditch equipment and attire. "And what happened to him?" he added with a tilt of his head in Malfoy's direction. "This is even worse than when Buckbeak slashed him about ten years ago."

"You should've seen it Harry!" Ron yelled, running over and clapping his best friend's shoulder, nearly laughing himself to tears. "Wait'll you hear about this! We've never seen Malfoy so terrified before. We're talking pee–and–soil–your–pants–scared! We're talking a hundred, no, a THOUSAND times scarier than Dumbledore here!!!"

"What? You're not making sense, Ron. Scared of what? Of who?" Harry asked, now more confused than before.

"I'll tell you after you beat Negi. Harry, make sure you win. There's much more to that squirt than meets the eye."

"I think we all already know that, Ron."

With that done, they walked down to the Quidditch pitch to get ready for the next challenge: Harry vs. Negi in a 1–on–1 Battle of the Seekers!

* * *

Translations:

Tenshinkoda - Spinning Back Fist

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I think the moral of this chapter is that some opinions aren't meant to be heard. And I think you'd all agree with me that Malfoy learned that the hard way. Or was it Kotaro, Setsuna, and Negi's way(s)? Either way, I think Draco got what was coming to him.

Battle of the Seekers comes in two days, one day later than the original intended release date of the Intermission chapter. Please don't forget to comment.


	24. Chapter 20: Battle of the Seekers

Disclaimer: I own none of this.

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How's everybody doing? Life treating you good, I hope, because it ain't treating me too well. We're having a lot of snow where I am, so getting around is a chore in itself.

I hope you all enjoyed Malfoy's little spot of Hell at the hands of Kotaro, Setsuna and Negi. I wanted to put him through Hell on Earth after what he said about Negi, Kotaro and the girls. Want to know how I could be so sadistic to him? Because my roommate is always trying to bite my head off the moment I ask a curious question, even if it isn't a personal one, so I'm always getting my feelings hurt. That was just my way of venting my emotions. Anyway, it's time for the Quidditch match of the century: the youngest Seeker of the century vs. the youngest Seeker of the millennium!

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Battle of the Seekers

By this time, more of Negi's students had joined the crowd, so the fanfare for him would be considerably boosted by the new arrivals. As the audience made for the bleachers, Negi and Harry went to the locker room to change their clothes. Harry donned his old red and black Gryffindor robes, feeling good to be back in his old House colors. Negi didn't need to change anything major. He just took off his cloak, but as he folded it and set it aside, Harry noticed something. "Hey, what's that on your arm? What happened?"

"Oh, you mean this?" Negi said turning his arms so the mark was more visible. It was actually a scar that went around Negi's entire arm. "You may not believe this, but this is from about a few months ago when my right arm was cut off in battle."

"It seems to work pretty well for you," Harry said. "How did it happen?" he asked, now interested.

"It was my first life–and–death battle with a powerful opponent. I was ready to defeat him or die trying; I kind of enjoyed the thrill. His name was Kagetaro of Bosporus, and he specialized in shadow–based magic with emphasis in spears and lances that were made of pure darkness, but stronger than steel. He blocked my last punch and one of his shadow lances lopped it right off at that same instant. It happened so quickly I didn't have time to feel the pain. There wasn't anything I could do. Fortunately, of course, the cut was so clean that the healers were able to reattach it without any trouble."

"We've both had our share of dangerous battles, and I see we have another thing in common: the scars on our faces," Harry deduced, pointing to the scar on his forehead and the scar on Negi's left cheek as he slipped a pair of thick brown gloves designed for Quidditch onto his hands. "Every year I spent here was often ended with a situation where my life was at stake."

"I see," Negi nodded, putting on his gloves. "If I went into half as much detail telling you about my battles in the Home World, you'd probably want to quit being a wizard. Famous wizards like us are always attracting danger. Everyone wants to be the best, but to do that, they have to beat the best: you and me." He gently took off his glasses and set them down neatly on his folded cloak, and put his staff in its rightful place on his back where it always stayed.

"And if you want to be the best at Quidditch, you'll have to go through me," Harry added, shouldering his Firebolt racing broom. "I'm the best Seeker Hogwarts has seen in decades, and the youngest seeker of the 20th Century. I've been flying since I was your age."

"Only because Meldiana is in a separate Quidditch league," Negi said with a wink and a competitive smile. "I first flew at age 4, and I first played Quidditch when I was 6. Don't say I didn't warn you, Mr. Potter. Some call me the 'Youngest Seeker of the Millenium'.

"And by the way," he went on, briefly taking off his shirt and exposing his bare chest. "I know all too well what you've gone through. After all, your feats are the stuff of legend just like my father's."

Harry gasped. There were scars all over the boy's body, particularly his right arm and knuckles. _He's really been through the grinder_, he thought. _And I thought I had it bad_.

"Only time will tell," Harry gulped, as Negi put his shirt back on. "By the way, what happened back there? While I was gone."

"Well," Negi started. "Mr. Malfoy went on a verbal rampage."

"He didn't use the 'M word' did he?" Harry exclaimed.

"'M word'?"

"Mudblood. It means dirty blood. It's a foul name for someone who's born without any magic parents."

"Sounds like a curse word," Negi commented under his breath as he pulled on his own pair of gloves. "He used it, but as far as I'm concerned, he used far worse words than that. Anyway, I gave him a rather strict reprimanding, along with a spine–rattling blow to the back." When Harry looked at him apprehensively, Negi threw up his hands defensively and said, "Don't worry. There won't be any permanent injury. You guys aren't built very strong, so I held back a great deal. I still think the physical mind games Kotaro played with him were a little more sadistic than anything I did. I think it was mostly the form that my anger took before I actually struck him that scared everyone the most. Even I shudder to think of how I must look like when I begin to lose myself in anger."

The two Quidditch rivals walked out onto the field, where Madam Hooch was waiting.

"The rules are as follows," she said sharply. "I will release the snitch in a moment. You will take to the sky two minutes later, and the first to catch the snitch and bring it back to me wins. Any spells used against your opponent are forbidden. Now shake hands."

The rivals stepped forward and firmly grasped each other's hand. Harry was surprised to find how firm Negi's handshake was for one so young. That meant he had a great deal of confidence.

With that, Madam Hooch kicked the box at her feet, which flew open and the golden, winged ball soared out of the box and took off, zigging and zagging around the pitch at amazing speeds in completely unpredictable patterns.

Harry stood where he was and kept an eye out, searching the sky for that ever–so–familiar glint of gold. With his other eye, he looked over at Negi. The boy had sat down in a relaxed position, his eyes closed, and his staff floating in the air before him: a pre-match meditation.

* * *

"Is good idea, meditating before match like this," the Chinese Fei Ku commented from her seat in the stands. Her English was still shaky at best, even after more than six months with Negi as her English teacher.

"You know it!" Kotaro cheered with a thumbs-up. "Once he has his mind and body focused, Negi's unstoppable, both in battle and in life."

"Don't underestimate Potter," Professor McGonagall piped in from the front row, not taking her eyes off Harry. _Good luck, Potter_.

"Tha's right. Harry's been ridin' a broom since before tha' boy was even born," Hagrid boomed from his seat, which was actually two seats pressed together.

"Oh yeah?" snapped Haruna, completely lost in the competition. "Negi can fly circles around that washed up has-been with his eyes closed!"

"Once again, Haruna, your competitiveness humiliates us to no bounds," Yue said in her quiet voice.

"How long has it been since that thing's release?" Asuna asked out loud. _And where the heck is Konoka? As soon as we got here, she said she needed to go use the Ladies' room, and then she just left and took Setsuna, Nodoka with her. They're going to miss the whole show_.

"Approximately 1 minute and 28 seconds. In about thirty seconds, the competition commences," Chachamaru answered her almost immediately. "Pardon me, but what is your take thus far, Master?" she asked, activating her jet pack and floating up to where Evangeline hovered.

"Why should I even care, Chachamaru? As far as I'm concerned this is all pointless. They're all just setting themselves up for disappointment," sighed a bored Eva. "The boy went along with this of his own free will. He probably wants to give them a chance to speak up rather than shutting them up. He feels it's his duty as a teacher. What an annoyance!

"Then again, I _do_ look forward to watching them squirm as they fall off their high horses, all at the hands of a mere child," she said with an evil grin, narrowing her eyes. "It'll make for good entertainment."

"Shut up! They're taking off," Chisame yelled up at her.

* * *

Down below, Harry swung his foot over his broom and kicked off from the ground, hard. He took the sky like a rocket, hovering near the center of the field, eyes still looking left and right for the golden snitch. Negi was right behind him, soaring to the opposite side, standing upright, balanced on his staff with both feet planted on the narrow piece of wood as though he were still standing on solid ground. _How does he do it?_ Harry thought with a smile. _This kid is something else!_ He knew he would have to beat Negi with Quidditch skill alone, since he couldn't use magic against his opponent in this match. He didn't know what Negi could have up his sleeve, so he would have to be on his toes (not literally, of course).

"Konnichiwa and HELLOOOOOOOO Hogwarts! My name is Kazumi, bringing you the play–by–play as it happens, as I see it," came a voice over the loudspeaker. One of Negi's students had picked up the magical megaphone and was doing the commentary. "From the looks in the players' eyes, I think I'm right in assuming that this promises to be a match unlike any other. Who will win? Harry Potter, the seasoned veteran, or Professor Negi Springfield, the underdog? I can't wait. Can you?!!" The small crowd roared in response.

"That Kazumi Asakura," Negi said to himself with a careless smile. _Whatever will she think of next? But something is weird. Where's Sayo? She's always with her._

Harry just listened with interest. _She even better than Lee Jordan_, he thought. _McGonagall should hire her as the Quidditch announcer_.

Suddenly, a voice rang out from down below. "Two, four, six, eight. Who do we appreciate? Negi! Negi! NEGI!!!"

Everybody looked down. Konoka, Setsuna and Nodoka were standing down on the edge of the field along with a rather solid-looking Sayo, dressed in cheerleading uniforms, completely with mini-skirts and pink, green, blue and yellow pom-poms. From the looks on their faces, Nodoka and Setsuna were obviously feeling hot and bothered over this, but for different reasons. Nodoka had never been one to cheer very loudly, and she was blushing deeply from ear to ear. Setsuna, on the other hand, had never been forced to wear anything like this before. She seemed rather embarrassed, but still carried on none the less. Sayo and Konoka, however, didn't seem to care. They were lost in the moment and in the excitement, but they clearly couldn't be happier to be showing Negi their support.

"GO! GO! LET'S GO! GO! GO! LET'S GO NE–GI!!" they roared in unison, some louder than others.

"So this is what she had up her sleeve," Asuna said, slapping her forehead. "I should've known. That is so like Konoka."

"Well, what do you know?" Asakura yelled in ecstasy. "It looks like the girls of 3–A are here to show their support for their favorite young man in true Mahora-style! And aren't their costumes adorable, ladies and gentlemen. This is truly a sight to behold."

Several seconds passed, and not a sign of gold anywhere. Finally, Negi thought he saw something, but it was just the sun reflecting off the surface of the nearby loch. Harry, however, saw something else, something gold. He flattened himself against his broom and streaked toward it.

Negi saw him move and dropped down into the right position, but he landed badly and crotched himself on his staff. There was an audible groan from the crowd. They must've felt his pain, especially the men. Even Harry felt his pain, and moved his free hand unconsciously to his lower region with a silent, "Ow!"

"OW! That has got to hurt! I hope Professor Springfield isn't hurt too bad," Asakura said, looking worried and amused at the same time. "Still, how embarrassing can you get?!"

Evangeline, however, was beside herself with laughter. She was in hysterics. "Didn't I tell you?" she shrieked between fits of the giggles. "Is this entertainment or WHAT?!"

Harry couldn't help but be slowed for a moment by the surprise of that moment of distraction. In that moment, the snitch had disappeared again. He floated towards Negi until he was right along-side him. Negi was clutching his staff with one hand, and his manhood with the other. "You all right?" Harry asked him, laughing.

"I'm … fine," Negi said slowly, stuck between a laugh and a moan. "From now on … I'm gonna wear … an athletic cup." _I can't jeopardize Chao's future birth_. He was, of course, referring to a distant, direct descendent of his from 100 years in the future, a descendent who had actually been his student for an entire six months without him knowing. She had returned to the future recently, but he would always remember. "Where's the snitch?"

"It got away in that brief moment after you … uh, you know," He couldn't say the words, out of respect more than anything. He choked back his laughter, out of respect and pity more than anything else.

"Looks like they both lost the snitch," Asakura continued. "Let's hope they find it soon. The tension is mounting!"

"D-d-d-d … DON'T LET THAT STOP YOU! FIGHT ON, PROFESSOR!"

Negi looked down. Nodoka was looking straight up at him, her pom-poms clutched tightly in her hands, with passion in her eyes. Passion the likes of which nobody hadn't seen in many a moon.

"You heard her, girls!" Konoka raved with a great deal of spirit and joy. "Let's go. READY?!!"

"OKAY!!" everyone cheered, Setsuna and Nodoka included, their spirits fully awoken. "FIGHT ON TO VICTORY!!! _**TO VICTORY**_!!!!!" Their cheers seemed to echo around the stadium and beyond.

This gave Negi the strength he needed to fight through the throbbing pain in his groin and sit up straight again, but he didn't dare stand up again. He didn't want to risk not being able to have kids one day, when he was old enough of course. "There it is!" he said suddenly, and headed straight for it.

Harry was caught off guard, but recovered quickly, bringing his Firebolt around and sped forward. He quickly caught up with Negi and in a moment, had brushed him aside and passed him. The snitch was hovering a few feet above the ground. Harry went into a nearly vertical dive.

Negi saw what he was doing and angled his staff downward, but even his gravity-enhanced speed would never be enough to catch a Firebolt unless he used a mobility spell. Magic used against his opponent was illegal. _But then again_, he thought. _Spells used on myself or my staff are different_.

"No! I won't catch him in time. There's only one way to beat him," Harry heard Negi say loudly over the howl of the wind. He smiled triumphantly. He remembered Negi couldn't use magic against him. He had it won. _No teacher worth his soul would ever break rules he agreed to_. He started thinking of what he would teach the students on their first day.

Harry was inches from the snitch, his fingers already starting to when suddenly, there came a shout. "_MAXIMA ACCELERATIO!_" followed by a huge, deafening BOOM! A streak of red and black flashed by Harry like a bullet shot from a high-powered sniper rifle. Harry spun out, briefly losing control of his broom.

"Whoa! He turned Mr. Potter inside–out with that one," the dark-red-haired girl yelled into the mic.

"A sonic boom?!" Harry gasped, as he finally up-righted himself. "What the bloody Hell was that?" But before he could think of anything else, there was a "_RAPIDE SUBSISTAT!_" There was another boom and a huge cloud of dust and sand was kicked up from the ground below as Negi collided with the soft ground. Harry pulled out of the dive and pulled back, hovering over the cloud, waiting for it to subside.

When the dust finally cleared, Negi was flat on his face, his staff still hovering a foot off the ground, and the snitch, as well as his right arm were nowhere to be seen. Apparently, Negi's "rapid stop" spell wasn't rapid enough.

"Professor Springfield! Professor Springfield!" Madam Hooch screamed as she ran over to where he lay. Carefully, she turned him over to find he was smiling. Negi's right hand was tucked under his left arm. It took some effort to pry it away. There, held by the wing between his middle– and pointer–fingers, the only two fingers extended, was the still–struggling snitch.

"Ha ha! He did it," cried

"IT'S OVER, FOLKS! IT'S OVER!" Asakura wailed. "Negi has caught the snitch! VICTORY TO THE THOUSAND PIMP!"

The crowd cheered for a brief moment, but then they turned and looked at her indignantly. "What?" she said innocently. "It's funny."

Evangeline was laughing harder than ever before. "It suits him," she guffawed loudly.

"I know, right?" Kazumi giggled. But everyone's looks changed after a moment, but Kazumi took no notice; she was too busy laughing. When she finally pulled herself together, she looked at them, confused. "What? Oh! That's it, isn't it? I know the routine. He's right behind me, isn't he? Come on, I wasn't born yesterday. Besides, he's unconscious down on the field," she said looking down. But Negi was gone. "Oh man."

"Who's unconscious, Kazumi?" She turned around slowly, to find Negi at eye–level, glaring at her. "Excuse me," he said, offended, yet some how apprehensive. "But you make me sound like a pervert. I don't suppose you'd rather do _it_ in the entrance hall this evening."

"I'll say," muttered InuYasha as he hopped up to the announcer's box and got in Negi's face, Kagome in his arms. "You sound even worse than Miroku!"

"I second that," Kagome snapped at Asakura. "Just what do you mean by 'Thousand Pimp,' anyway? And just what has he been doing? And what does he mean, 'it'?"

"By 'it,' I mean sitting all night in the entrance hall in the seiza position," Negi answered her. "I know how much you girls hate it."

"I'm sorry, Professor," she whimpered, shrinking back, as pale as paper. "I thought that since your father was called the Thousand Master, I thought that you'd like it." It was clear he didn't, but this was causing Evangeline to laugh even harder, rocking back and forth in midair in roars of laughter and delight.

"Now this is what I like," she shrieked with glee. "That's why it suits you, boy. You kissed more people in a single month than your father did in his entire lifetime, including your mother!"

"If you're quite done, Master," Negi said to her. "Let's go have some breakfast before our last event for the day."

"Are you sure you're all right, Professor," Chachamaru asked as she joined him over the announcer's box. "That was quite the nasty impact, combined with the … well you know."

"Well," Negi said, brushing dirt and sand off his shoulders and face. "Compared to the pain I felt back in the Home World, I don't even feel it anymore, but you should already know that, Chachamaru. You were there when that tiger dragon attacked us and almost fried me, remember? And you saw the tournament back in the Home World."

"Better not let Hagrid hear you say that," Harry piped in as he glided over to the boy-teacher to congratulate him on his more–than–impressive come–from–behind victory. "He's crazy about dragons. He thinks they're simply 'fiercely misunderstood.'"

Negi smiled and rolled his eyes and drifted down to the stands to join his students in celebration. He hadn't won a Quidditch match in over a year. He had forgotten what it had felt like to have the crowd cheering for him. It was the best feeling in the world.

* * *

Spell Translations:

Maxima acceleratio - Maximum Acceleration

Rapide subsistat - Rapid Stop / Immediate Brake

* * *

The Battle of the Seekers is over, and Negi is still alive in this competition to decide who teaches Defense this year.

I hope this competition was to everybody's satisfaction. The Asakura – announcing thing was just my own personal touch. I've always wanted to be a play–by–play announcer for professional wrestling. As for the cheerleading thing, after reading Negima!? Neo volume 4, and seeing Negi, Konoka, Setsuna, Anya and Asuna dressed in skirts cheering on Makie, I guess I just wanted to do something of my own, and adding Nodoka and Sayo to it was just a plus. I just asked myself, "What would they do?" and the answer just came to me. I hope you all enjoyed it.

Next chapter and thus, the final challenge features two armies facing off with one another. It's three days away, and then, there's another Special Chapter after that. Look forward to it, because I sure am!


	25. Chapter 21

What's up, folks? Your week been well so far? 'Cause mine certainly has! Had a pair of old fashioned Snow Day yesterday and again today here in New Paltz (THANK YOU, GOD!), and I just received my 2,000th hit (total) the other day, as well as my 1,000th hit of the month, and I'm feeling great! I hope you're all ready for the longest chapter I've ever written, because it's one against ten in an anything–goes duel, and the odds have never been so heavily stacked against one side! And I hope you all know which side we're talkin' 'bout here. HA HA HA! 'Cause it's Negi Springfield, the One–Man–Freakin'–Army, against the group of kids (now grown up) responsible for bringing down the only Dark Wizard ambitious enough ... or dumb enough ... to try and destroy the peace that they stood for. Who will come out on top? Let's find out!

But first, let's go to Ollie Williams for the Black–U Weather Forecast. Ollie?

Ollie: BIG SNOW ON THE WAY!

Thanks, Ollie.

ROFL. (For those of you up North, you're in our thoughts, so hang in there, baby!) **(Updated: 6/22/10)**

* * *

Dumbledore's Army vs. The One–Man–Army

"Was lunch good, Professor?" Nodoka asked Negi that afternoon as they returned to the clearing of InuYasha's duel with Hagrid. She was quite enjoying herself. Like the rest of them, she was still getting used to the western food, but was enjoying it more and more with every passing day.

"Yes, very," Negi replied happily as they walked together at the head of the group. "I haven't had pork chops in over a year, and I haven't tasted pumpkin juice in the longest time. You know, at the beginning, I did miss the tempura, sashimi, and other Japanese cuisine, but it is good to have a little more balance in my diet again."

"Hmm. Perhaps it would be a good idea to introduce a little Japanese culture to the castle. Don't you think?" Nodoka proposed.

"Yes! Nodoka, that's a wonderful idea," said Negi with a big smile. "I'll call Satsuki this evening and get her best recipes and suggest them to the elves in the kitchens. I'm sure they would be delighted to give them a try."

"Those elves make the tastiest food down in those kitchens," Harry and Ron said, catching up to them. "But I'm sure they'll be happy to get a little more variety for a change."

"You boys need something new in your diets," Hermione said as she came up alongside them. "I must say, Professor Springfield, I was much more confident last night. But seeing your fight with Neville and your match with Harry, I can't say I'm looking forward to this."

"I understand," Negi said with a nod. "Don't worry. It'll be over before you know it."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Neville said from behind them. "Sorry I can't be out there with you guys. There's still a little partial paralysis from that lightning attack from this morning."

"That's alright, Neville," Ron said, dismissing his friend's concern. "It's 10 against 1! How bad could it be? Besides, Dumbledore's Army is unbeatable."

"Actually, I'm not even sure if 50 against 1 would be fair," Negi said sadly. "No worries, though. I won't go all-out." _Besides, nobody is unbeatable. I know that first_–_hand_.

"You mean you weren't going all–out against me?" Neville gulped. "It sure felt like it."

"My man, you don't know what all–out really means!" Chamo called from Negi's shoulder. "Maybe one day, you will. Though I get the feeling Ol' Malfoy never will, given how terrified he was of Big Brother Negi this morning. Wasn't he wallowing away in pain and humiliation in the hospital wing? Pathetic," he laughed.

"Well, I had to make it known that I won't forgive anyone who makes a student of mine cry," Negi said sharply. "I hope Konoka's okay. I hope she wasn't affected too much by Mr. Malfoy's remarks."

"Don't worry," Nodoka reassured him. "From how peppy she was while we were cheering you on in your Quidditch match earlier. I'm pretty sure she's gotten over it."

"Good."

Behind them, George and Lee Jordan were still talking about Negi and Harry's Quidditch match. "Bloody brilliant!" George was saying.

"Astounding!" Lee said, still dumbfounded by Negi's performance. "The kid was going even faster than Harry's Firebolt."

"And Fred, Ron and I always thought Viktor Krum was the greatest seeker in the world. Boy, were we wrong. He went faster than the speed of sound. Not even Krum dared do that. And he withstood hitting the ground at such a speed. I mean, bloody Hell."

They arrived at last. The blood stains on the grass from Hagrid's fight with InuYasha had been expertly removed by Professor Sprout, and the grass seemed to sparkle in the afternoon sun.

Miroku was waiting for them. "All right. Are we ready for today's main event?"

"Oh, cut it out with the announcer routine, Miroku," Sango said with a sigh. "You're not Mr. Takahata."

"Maybe he'll get tired of it, Sango," Shippo groaned from her shoulder. Kirara, who was resting, cradled in Sango's arms, purred quietly.

"Let's get this duel underway. Fighters, take your positions," Miroku called into the crowd.

"Here, Nodoka," Negi said, turning to her and handing her his staff. "Would you mind holding this for me?"

"S – sure," she said, slowly. "But what about your cloak? It might get in the way."

"Don't worry," Negi said, winking at her. "It'll be fine."

Negi walked to one side of the field, slowly removing his cloak as he went, revealing his long sleeved black shirt and pants. Finally, he tossed it aside, letting the wind carry it right into Nodoka's waiting arms. It was as though he knew this would happen.

"Wow." Sango couldn't help but be amazed at how an eleven–year–old could be, wizard or not.

"Do your best, Negi!" Konoka called from the crowd. _Wait_, she just realized. _Negi's best could _really_ hurt someone_. "Do okay!"

Ron, Hermione, George, Ginny, Luna, Seamus Finnigan, Hannah Abbott, Justin Finch–Fletchley, and Dean Thomas took their places on the opposite side. Then, to everyone's surprise, Harry joined them. "Dumbledore's Army needed a leader, and since Neville is unable to battle, I'll step in and fight in his stead."

"So be it," Miroku agreed. "This duel shall end if and only if one side is rendered unable to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, bow to your opponents." Negi touched his right fist to the palm of his left hand and bent his body into a crisp, low bow; a classic martial arts bow. Wands already in hand, Harry and his friends put their arms to their sides and bowed, but they didn't take their eyes off Negi. "And BEGIN!"

All at once, as though they had been planning it, the DA members all fired Stunner spells at Negi, but he was ready for it. He stretched out a hand and swatted them aside like flies, without blinking. The whole of Dumbledore's Army was stunned.

Negi didn't stop there. As they continued to cast spells at him left and right, he expertly dodged and deflected each and every one of them while chanting his own. "_Incipio confestim vis magica. __Vertatur Tempestas Veris! Nobis Protectionem Aerialem! Flans Paries Venti Vertentis_!" A whirlwind of immense proportions was conjured out of nowhere, with Negi at the eye of the storm, surrounded on all sides by an impenetrable tornado.

"I can't believe Professor Springfield would leave without telling us," Ayaka Yukihiro said in frustration. The wealthy, blonde class president of Class 3–A was now aboard her private "Negi–Love Jet," heading for Negi's last known location. He had been headed in the direction of Scotland. Her large, half–empty fruit cocktail (non–alcoholic of course!) sat in the cup-holder of her seat, now forgotten. "It's been a week since he left and not a single word. It's like he doesn't care about us anymore."

Ayaka's only company was the pink–haired Makie Sasaki. She and fellow sports–club member Yuna Akashi (with special permission from Yuna's father) had been the only other students willing to fly on the "Negi–Love Jet" without being discouraged by the lack of artistic taste. "Come on Class Rep, maybe Negi just lost track of time on his trip and forgot to call," she said, laughing awkwardly.

Yuna just snored quietly from the seat next to Makie. The black–haired Yuna had been sleeping for the last three hours.

"Do you try to be stupid, Makie? No wonder you're in the Dummy Force! There's no way the Professor would forget his beloved students. You fail to understand the reality of things. That is why you –!" Just then, the plane shook violently.

"What the heck?" was all Yuna could say, apparently trying to look around in all directions at once, having been woken up instantly.

"What's going on?" Ayaka gasped in panic. She grabbed the intercom and shouted, "Pilot! What's going on?"

"I have no idea Miss Yukihiro, but we're losing altitude fast! We were flying just fine until a moment ago, when we passed over those ruins down there. A huge tornado just popped up out of nowhere. You'll have to jump for it, Miss!" the pilot answered.

"But what about you?" she said back.

"I'll do my best to land this plane! I'm confident I can land without everything going up in flames."

"Well, don't just sit there, Yuna, Dummy Pink! Let's go!" Ayaka yelled, putting down the intercom, reaching under her seat and grabbing a parachute, Makie following suit. The three ran to the door and with much effort, heaved it open. The wind was incredible. The twister was now in sight, but what surprised Ayaka the most was that it wasn't moving, and there was a crowd of people nearby, and they weren't getting swept up or anything. "That's no ordinary whirlwind," she said under her breath. "Well, what are we waiting for? On the count of three! One … two …"

Suddenly, a Ford Anglia flew out of nowhere and crashed into the rear of the plane, violently shaking it and throwing the girls to the floor.

"Wah!" Makie and Yuna screamed as the car hit the plane's engine and exploded in a plume of red–orange flame. "How'd that even happen? What kind of car acts like a heat–seeking missle?"

By the time they'd pulled themselves back up, the plane was falling faster than ever now, and clouds of thick black smoke were filling the cabin. If they didn't jump soon, the girls would die of smoke inhalation.

"THREE!" the girls yelled in unison as they scrambled out of the doomed plane, but in their panic to pull the rip cords, the parachutes were ripped open by flying pieces of shrapnel, sending the three girls plummeting down toward the ground, screaming.

Down below, the wizards and witches of Hogwarts had no clue of the events taking place up in the sky. Their attention was too absorbed in the monster tornado that had just come out of nowhere and all but swallowed Negi alive.

"It's a twister! It's a twister!" Ron cried. When everyone looked at him, he said, "What? Someone had to say it."

"Stop joking around, Ron! Honestly! We have to stop it before it demolishes the school!" Hermione shouted over the roar of the wind, waving her wand and pointing it at the tornado. "_Finite incantatem_." The spell was supposed to negate it, but had no effect at all. "What? That should've cancelled it out!"

"Then we'll just throw something stronger at it," Hannah yelled. "_Stupefy!_" This spell didn't disappear. It got sucked up by the wind and spit back out in a different direction. It struck Neville full in the face. "Sorry!" she called as McGonagall revived him.

"This is clearly an advanced shield–type spell. He's buying time, but what for?" was all McGonagall could say.

Meanwhile, in the eye of the storm, Negi was making a plan. He knew he had to act fast, and in order to defeat that many opponents all at once, he would need a special Armament. So he set to work. The barrier would go down in less than a minute, so he had to take advantage of every second he had. "_Incipio confestim vis magica_. _Agite, tenebrae abyssi, ensis incendens! Et incendium caliginis umbrae inimicitiae destructionis ultionis! Incendant et me et eum, sint solum incendentes!_"

The barrier came down just in time for them to see him finish the spell. "_Incendium gehennae!_ _Stagnet_!" A pulsing orb of energy was floating in the boy's hand, and it was dark red, as though he held the fires of Hell itself in the palm of his hand.

Then they heard the explosion. Everybody looked up just in time to see the flying Ford Anglia that used to belong to Ron's dad crash into a strangely decorated airplane and burst into a huge fireball. "Hey Ron, isn't that your dad's car?" Harry asked his best friend.

"WAS my dad's car, you mean!" he corrected. "I didn't know it could fly on its own," he blurted out scratching his head in bewilderment.

"HEY!" called a voice. Everyone turned to see Edward standing near the edge of the forest, laughing so hard, he could barely stand. "I know this is a bad time," he wheezed in laughter. "But I think there's something wrong with that car's brakes! When's the last time you had them checked?" That was all he could say before he collapsed in fits of laughter, pounding the ground with his fists and kicking his legs all over the place. "I mean, I've heard of air–lock brakes, but that is ridiculous!" Al just shrugged. He didn't know where the heck Ed got this stuff.

Even Negi was distracted. Then he saw the girls jumping out of the falling plane. "YUNA? MAKIE? AYAKA? Oh crap!" he cried, the fireball disappearing from his hand at once, and giving the DA the time-out sign, he leapt to the sky, scooping them all up in one fast move. Before the girls knew what was happening, they were back on solid ground again.

"What are you girls doing here?" he asked as they touched down gently. "Furthermore, how did you guys know we were here?" But there had been no point in asking Yuna. She had passed out.

Ayaka was the first to speak. "Firstly, Professor Springfield, the Dean found me quite … persuasive when I found out what happened."

"Wait," Negi stopped her. "Persuasive, how? What kind of persuasive are we talking about here?"

"Never mind that," she said, blushing slightly. "But, begging your pardon Professor, but what do you mean 'we'?" Ayaka asked politely as Negi let them down. Then she saw Asuna. "HEY! What are you doing here, Bells? Wait. Don't tell me … YOU'VE ELOPED WITH MY BELOVED DARLING PROFESSOR SPRINGFIELD? How DARE you?" she screamed, pointing at Asuna with an absolutely distraught expression.

"HEY LOLITA! DIAL IT DOWN, YOU BLOCKHEAD!" Asuna shouted back at the top of her lungs, flying in with a dropkick that knocked Ayaka head–over–heels for quite the distance. She finally came to a stop, her eyes spinning wildly. "Jeez. What a drama queen!"

"Wow, Asuna," Makie said, rubbing the back of her head. "I always knew you were violent, but that's over the top, even for you!"

"Shut up, Makie. Now, Negi, finish this thing before she wakes up."

"Right," said Negi as he put his hand to the sky again. "_Emittam et Stagnet! __Incendium gehennae!__!_" The dark sphere appeared again. "Well then, shall we pick up where we left off?" he said as he turned back toward the DA.

They hadn't moved a muscle since the fiasco started. They just looked surprised that Negi was able to spring into action so quickly without warning like he had. None of them had even had the chance to raise their wands to slow the girls' fall.

Without warning, Negi closed his fist around the swirling orb of fire. "_Complexio! Supplementum pro Armationem __Sim Fabricatus AB Incendo__!_" Negi's body was immediately encased and engulfed in black–red flames. The very look of him made everyone tremble.

"What is that?" Professor Flitwick shouted. "He's covered in flames, and yet, he's just standing there as though they don't even exist."

"Don't be scared, everyone," Harry called out to his comrades. "He can't beat us all at once. On the count of three! One … two … THREE!"

"_Confringo!_"

"_Expelliarmus!_"

"_Immobulus!_"

"_Stupefy!_"

"_Confundo!_"

"_Impedimenta!_"

"_Petrificus totalus!_"

"_Rictusempra!_"

"_Tarantallegra!_"

"_Locomodor mortis!_"

Ten different spells flew from the ten wands and sped towards Negi. Everyone thought he would dodge, or at least swat them aside like before.

But he didn't.

Negi didn't even move, and he didn't blink as all ten spells made contact with his body, one after the other. And every spell that struck made his aura grow even bigger.

"WHAT?" everyone screamed. They couldn't believe their eyes. All of their spells had simply been absorbed, and to make matters worse, they actually seemed to make him even stronger.

"How could this be?" Neville squealed from the side lines. "He should be out cold, but the spells had no effect at all. Not even the Tickling Charm or the Leg–Locker Curse."

"This is absurd," McGonagall exclaimed. "A spell that absorbs all others and grows in power? I've never seen anything like it."

As everyone watched in confusion, not knowing what to do, Negi simply stretched his hand out, and before anyone could blink, as though a giant, invisible hand had slapped them off their feet, they were all blown back by a tremendous force. By the time they all hit the ground, they were in such shock from the blow they still hadn't even realized what happened.

"Argh," groaned Harry, trying to move his body. _He DID hit us all at the same time, and I didn't even see him move._ "It feels as though my entire body's gone numb."

"Rgh. Me too," Hermione moaned from almost ten feet away.

Ginny wasn't doing much better. "What was that?"

"I don't know, Sis" Ron struggled to say as he stood up, his legs a bit wobbly. "But we've gotta hang in here."

"We're right here with you, Ron," called Seamus, also getting to his feet. The others uttered their agreement as they rose to their feet.

"That's it," Neville called to his friends, punching the air. "Don't let that stop you. You still have your fists."

"No, Neville!" Harry yelled. "Don't give him any ideas." But it was no use.

"Fists, huh?" they heard Negi whisper, as though the boy was pondering something. The Armament had already been cancelled, as though he'd only needed it to discourage the use of magic. "Yeah … why not?"

Luna looked up just in time to catch a lightning–fast elbow–strike to her stomach. Before she even knew what had happened, she was on the ground.

"Luna! No!" Harry cried, feeling totally helpless.

The next to suffer Negi's wrath was Hannah. She barely had enough time to blink before Negi was upon her, then she felt a blazing–hot palm strike her abdomen. Even though Negi was no longer using the Armament, his hand must have still maintained the heat. Either that, or it was moving so fast it was scorching hot by the time it struck home.

Nobody even had a chance to move before it happened.

"Why you – !" Justin growled, bringing his wand around to aim right at Negi's head, but the boy genius was ready.

Negi held out his hand, aiming amidst the remaining five wizards. _Flans Exarmatio_, he thought fiercely.

To everyone's surprise, a gust of wind was kicked up that blew away everyone's wands. But Negi didn't stop there. In an instant, he was in front of Ron. Pressing his palm against Ron's chest, he released another spell. "_Emittam! Sagitta Magica Aer Capturae!_" The green ribbons of energy ensnared Ron on the spot and fastened themselves to the ground.

"Ron!" George cried, running over to try and pry the ropes off his brother, but they wouldn't budge. "Damn it! They won't come off!"

"No, you git! They're getting tighter!" Ron told him. "Let go before they squeeze the life out of me!"

But George just barely had time to release his grip before Negi appeared behind him.

TAP! A well–aimed karate chop to the back of George's neck sent him to the ground. He was unconscious before he landed.

"Not George too!" Dean shouted, recovering his wand and bringing it around. He fired several Stunners at Negi in rapid–fire fashion, but Negi didn't even dodge them. Once again, he held out his hand and swatted the spells away, one by one.

"What?" Justin exclaimed, still looking for his wand. "One hand? Forget this." He just decided to abandon his wand and charge Negi with his bare hands.

"No, don't do it!" Harry called, now able to move his head enough to see what was going on. "You can't beat him hand–to–hand!"

But it was too late. Justin threw a knockout punch at Negi's face, only to have the boy catch it a foot from his head. But that wasn't the end of it. A second after his fist was caught, Justin jumped back and crumbled to the ground, clutching his hand, which felt like it had just been electrocuted.

"What did he just do?" Neville cried. "Justin almost had him. Why did he back off?"

Evangeline quickly answered him. "An unincanted lightning–class sagitta magica. He must have conjured it just as the punch landed. An elementary skill for the standard combat mage. Timing is everything. Same with his deflection a moment earlier. If he'd been a millisecond off, he might have actually had to _try_ and dodge them."

"Wait! You mean to say he's not even trying right now?" Professor Slughorn exclaimed in disbelief.

"Hah! Trying? You fools don't even register on his spectrum right now. I'd say, he's only using 1% of his strength, 5 at the very most."

"1%?" Slughorn gasped. "You can't be serious! You mean he's a hundred times stronger than this?"

"At the least," Evangeline said proudly. "I've trained him well."

"I still don't like it," Professor Sprout put in. "He's striking against men and women alike."

"Fool! You don't understand a thing about combat!" Evangeline snapped at her. "It's just like I taught him, and I quote, 'Once you're on the battlefield, whether you're a man, woman or child doesn't matter in the slightest. An enemy is an enemy. End of story. The only reason he didn't use his martial arts on you is because you're old hags!"

THWAK!

"Bad Eva! Bad!" Asuna scolded, having hit Evangeline with her huge folded–paper fan. "That's no way to speak to your elders."

"Well, that's no way to treat _your_ elders, Asuna Kagurazaka!" Evangeline shot back, smacking Asuna in the face, leading to another furious fisticuffs between the two of them.

Back on the "battlefield," things weren't looking good for Dumbledore's Army. In less than a minute, Negi had whittled ten men and women down to two men.

"This can't go on!" Seamus told Dean. "We've got to hit him at the same time. You hit the front, I'll take the back."

Dean shot him a thumbs up and they both dashed at Negi, who remained unnerved by their plan of attack.

_Stay calm, Negi. They can't possibly have the kind of teamwork to launch a simultaneous attack. One will strike first. It'll be … HIM!_ He looked right at Dean, who _did_ end up striking first, with a downward punch aimed at his head. Negi stuck out a hand and stopped the punch and throwing it off course, throwing Dean off balance. He was then able to turn his attention to Seamus, who was a second behind Dean, throwing a dropkick at Negi's back. Without thinking, Negi spun around, surprising Seamus, who separated his legs just enough for Negi to nail him with a special counter move, catching the man's right ankle between his elbow and knee.

"OW! My foot!" Seamus cried, staggering back.

Negi didn't dare miss this opportunity. He struck with a two–strike attack. First, a palm–thrust to the diaphragm, then a follow–up elbow–strike dash to the solar plexus that knocked the breath right out of the man's chest.

_That dropkick give me an idea_, he thought as he turned back to Dean, who had regained his balance. Not giving Dean a chance to strike back, Negi jumped up, bringing up both feet to kick both sides of Dean's head at the same time. He landed on his feet in a ready position, just in case, but it wasn't needed.

Dumbledore's Army was done for. Completely laid out. Plastered all over the grass. Crushed by a child.

"Amazing!" was all Neville could bear to say as he surveyed the damage to the once–thought–to–be "unbeatable" Dumbledore's Army. "How does he do it?"

"He learn well," he heard from beside him. Fei Ku crouched down to help him up. "I trained him myself. Negi–bozu is very good disciple, but I never teach him last move."

"_You_ taught _him_?" Neville sputtered in disbelief. "But I thought he was _your_ teacher."

"What you mean?" she asked, looking insulted. "Teacher can no learn from student?"

Neville was taken aback by Fei Ku's poor English, but he quickly recovered. "I – I guess so. Anyway, what was that last kick he hit Dean with."

"That was 'Double Inside Crescent Kick'," she answered quickly. "Is devastating move when hit right. You touch both heels together at point of contact between balls of your feet and enemy's temples. Where he learn it, I don't know, but that other move I don't remember teaching him either."

"What other move?"

"The counter to that dropkick. It called the 'Cross Block'. Is a precision technique that stop attack in tracks. It needs split–second timing. Good timing is always essential."

"Damn," Harry gasped in awe. "He beat us. If only my legs weren't still numb!"

"Yeah, that'll wear off in a minute," he heard and looked up. "Need a hand?"

Negi was bending over him, offering him a hand up, like a true sportsman, which Harry accepted with gratitude. When he was back on his feet, he looked around. His friends were being helped by several of Negi's students, and others were running over to him hugging him in congratulations on his impressive victory. "Your girls sure are strong," told Negi.

"Thank you. I helped train them myself," Negi said proudly, removing his shirt and mopping his brow. He was now sweating profusely all over. "I'd forgotten how much that particular Armament makes me sweat. Boy, do I need a bath? And I hate baths!" he laughed in spite of himself, plopping down on the ground, still laughing as innocently as ever.

Even Harry found himself laughing. _And this is the boy who just crushed Dumbledore's Army? He's so innocent, yet powerful. Just who is this kid?_

"Hey," he started. "I want to say, 'I –'"

"You're laughing? What is wrong with you? Taking off your shirt in public like that. Have you no decency?" Asuna yelled, grabbing Negi and lifting him up by the head with one hand like his head was a basketball as Harry staggered backwards, just now getting some of the feeling back in his legs.

"But Asuna …!" Negi protested, but there was nothing he could think of to say that would make her let go. Asuna's hair was sticking out in all directions, as though it had a mind of its own. This only happened when she was feeling _really_ mad.

Then there was trouble. One of those directions was Negi's nose. "Ah … ah …" Negi started.

"Oh no!" Asuna gasped in a panic. "Grab your skirts and robes everybody! He's about to blow!"

"What is that supposed to mean?" McGonagall exclaimed, but it was too late.

"AH CHOOOOO!" Negi sneezed a great sneeze.

Everyone within a ten-foot radius of Negi had their clothes blown right off by a fierce tempest, leaving everyone around him in their underwear. Harry and his friends felt the wind attack them, but they weren't close enough to Negi at the time, so they were spared from the humiliation of having their robes blown away. Everyone covered their bodies and screamed. Asuna was beside herself. It had been bad enough when only Negi and Takahata had seen her teddy bear panties on the first day she met Negi, and then there was the time he saw her without them when Negi tried to erase her memories but ended up evaporating her clothes instead. Now everyone had seen them. "Oh crud," was all Negi had to say for himself before she started walloping him upside the head.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha!" InuYasha laughed. "What was she just saying about decency?"

"Whoa!" cried Shippo, covering his eyes. "Who thought a sneeze could be so powerful?"

But Miroku wasn't listening. "Hello, hello!" he said loudly, holding his hands out in front of him and starting forward towards them. He didn't make it very far, however. Sango slammed him over the head with her weapon so hard that he sank into the dirt up to his head.

"The nail that sticks up the most is the one that gets hammered down first," she said crossly as she shouldered the Hiraikotsu and fumed away.

While Negi, Kagome and Professors McGonagall and Sprout retrieved the girls' clothes for them, InuYasha got down on all fours and dug Miroku out of the ground like a dog. "You never give up do you?" he scolded as he lifted the lecherous monk out of the ground.

"Why'd Sango have to get in the way?" gasped Miroku, spitting out a mouthful of dirt and worms. "Blech! I think I swallowed a dung beetle! OHHHHHH! And the after–taste!" InuYasha just fell over in fits of laughter.

"Tell me," Professor McGonagall said to Konoka as the girl pulled her blouse over her head and straightened her skirt. "Is Miss Kagurazaka always that violent?"

"No, just when she's mad," Konoka answered her.

"But it seems as though she's always mad."

"Exactly," said Konoka with a wink.

They all marched back to the castle for tea. Negi had to carry Ayaka all the way. Asuna's kick had really messed her up. Makie carried Yuna back, back seemed to be a little uncomfortable. It must have been her jealousy over Yuna large breasts. A couple of Harry's friends, especially Dean, George, Luna and Hannah were still too weak to move on their own, so they had to be carried back, mostly by some of Negi's girls. As they walked, Harry caught up with Negi. He still wanted to talk.

"Hey, Professor," Harry called out to Negi, causing the boy to stop. "I just wanted to say, 'I concede to you.' You are the better wizard, and a smashing good Seeker at that. How'd you learn to fly like that? Where'd you learn to _fight_ like that?"

"I can teach you, if you like," Negi winked at him. "It's not impossible, you know. You're never too old to learn a new skill."

The students would be arriving the next day, and Edward and Alphonse Elric had just finished accumulating the materials for their new home for the year. After Negi had had a bath and washed himself off, he and Chachamaru prepared and served some fine Chinese tea. At last, everybody was gathered around a gigantic clump of what looked like a jumble of trees, huge water containers, slate, rock, steel, and so many other things, they all wondered how Ed could accumulate all of this in such a short time.

"Let's just say I've got friends in high places," Ed said with glee as Al checked everything in the huge clump to make sure they weren't missing anything. "Ready, Al?" he asked his brother when he'd finished.

"Ready, Brother."

"On the count of three, then," Ed said and they clapped their hands together. "One … two … THREE!" The brothers slapped their hands on the ground, and with a flash and a great noise, there stood a marvelous hotel building as big as a palace fit for a king. "Heh! Not too bad if I do say so myself, huh, Al?"

"Amazing Ed! I had no idea it would be this incredible," was all Al could say.

"It's got over 50 rooms in over ten floors," Ed said turning around, his arms spread out to present his masterpiece. "And an indoor pool will be constructed by yours–truly within the month. There's also a fully-equipped bathing area with a swimming pool–sized bath, lots of miniature hot tubs around it, and of course, crystal clear running water that can be turned up as hot as a natural hot spring," he said proudly. "It was a lot of hard work getting these materials together, but I'm happy with it."

Everyone was most impressed. "When can we move in?" Konoka and Kagome asked with stars in their eyes.

"Right away," said a beaming Edward, his teeth flashing. "There are flatbeds in the lobby, and an express elevator. Plus, there are no staircases, for those of you who are as tired of changing staircases as I am." He was, of course, referring to the staircases in Hogwarts that often changed direction at a moment's notice. "We made single, double, and triple rooms just in case you guys like to bunk together. I think you'll quite enjoy yourselves here."

Everyone was looking forward to the coming year. Even the teachers and alumni were now dying for an alchemy lesson from the Fullmetal Alchemist Brothers.

* * *

Spell Translations:

Vertatur Tempestas Veris! Nobis Protectionem Aerialem! Flans Paries Venti Vertentis! - O Turning Storm of Spring! Bestow your Aerial Protection upon us! Blow Forth, Wall of Churning Wind!

Finite Incantatem - Stop the incantation

Stupefy - To be stunned

Agite Tenebrae Abyssi, Ensis Incendens! Et Incendium Caliginis Umbrae Inimicitiae Destructionis Ultionis! Incendant et Me et Eum, Sint Solum Incendentes! Incendium Gehennae! - Come, Darkness from the Abyss, Blazing Sword! Great flame of darkness and shadow, of hatred and destruction, of vengeance! Burn him, burn me, burn all to nothing! Flames of Hell!

Sim Fabricatus AB Incendo - Mighty Flames of Reflection

Confringo - I break (Blasting Curse)

Expelliarmus - Expel the weapon (Disarming Charm)

Immobulus - Immovable (Freezing Charm)

Confundo - I confuse (Confundus Charm)

Impedimenta - a hindrance / an impediment (Impediment Jinx)

Petrificus Totalus - to completely become stone (Full Body Bind Curse)

Rictosempra - always an open mouth (Tickling Charm)

Tarantellegra - Not sure actually (?)

Locomodor Mortis - death of movement (Leg-Locker Curse)

Flans exarmatio - Blow forth and disarm

Sagitta Magica - Magic Archer

* * *

Well, you heard it from Harry's mouth, so I guess the better man won after all.

Have a good weekend everyone. Special Chapter 3 will be here by Monday. Also, don't forget to comment, please.

Also, for anyone who's interested, I'm considering the addition of Vampire Hunter D or Hellsing into my story. Not sure what role either one will play, but I'm just putting the idea out there. *SNAP* I've got it! Until the release of Special Chapter 4, the poll will remain open. The choices are: V. H. D, or Hellsing, or both. And it would probably help if you also gave why, or the side you'd like them to be on. 'Till next time. Peace out, y'all.


	26. Another Notice

First of all, let me just say that the viewership I've been receiving from you guys has been making me very happy. I may be low on the review front, but that doesn't bother me anymore. Whatever happens from now on with reviews, happens, although I would still appreciate a little help deciding about Vampire Hunter D and Hellsing. Vampire / Horror anime aren't really my area of expertise.

Anyway, the main purpose of this message is to notify as many readers as possible that my next chapter, coming out tomorrow, is a bath–only chapter, with a considerable amount of slightly explicit fan service, so I think it's best not to read the chapter unless one is of ages 16 or 17 or above. This is only out of concern for and courtesy to my readers. I don't want anyone to think badly of me simply because I won't change the rating of my story (mostly because that will make it less accessible). It isn't like there's a sex-scene or anything, but I do still think that it's the right thing to do to let everyone know ahead of time

Once again, viewer discretion is advised.

See you all tomorrow,

Your Friendly Neighborhood Grominator


	27. Special Chapter 3: One Crazy Night

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

* * *

Of course I haven't forgotten Naruto. The next chapter is all them! It's kind of short, but it's all them, I assure you. But for now, those of you old enough to read this chapter safely, sit back, and enjoy the naughty fun. I even threw in a very deep conversation to reveal Kagome's deep feelings for InuYasha. **Edited: 11/08/11**

* * *

One Crazy Night

It was already evening by the time everyone had moved in. After a nice dinner, Kagome and Sango each stopped off at their rooms and grabbed a towel, and set off for the bath. "I'm really looking forward to this, Sango!" Kagome said excitedly. "Edward told us he had prepared special scented soaps and shampoos of all varieties. Oooooooh, I can't wait!"

"I can tell, Kagome," Sango said observantly. "I'd really like to see if Edward lives up to his word." Then they reached the dressing rooms. The two girls got undressed and put on their towels. "I sure hope the monk doesn't figure out where we are," Sango said with narrowed eyes as they pushed the door open and walked in.

Not only had Ed lived up to his word; he had exceeded it. It was gigantic, and from the look of the selections of shampoo, soap, bubble–bath and everything in–between, neither Kagome nor Sango could think of any place they'd rather be. In fact, the only thing it was lacking was a masseuse.

The time seemed to pass like nothing, and as they were lowering themselves into the main bath, the door opened again and Asuna walked in with Konoka and Setsuna close behind. The weird thing was that Setsuna still had her sword with her. When Kagome asked her, she answered, "You never know when you might need it."

Sango agreed with her. "I often feel the same way about my Hiraikotsu." She was glad to have found someone who understood that some weapons aren't just weapons to them.

The three girls joined Kagome and Sango in the tub. They couldn't help but enjoy themselves, and took their sweet time, washing their bodies. _Boy,_ the three Mahora girls thought as they washed their bosoms, being careful not to miss a spot around their breasts. Asuna was the only one of the three who had an acceptable size, and Konoka and Setsuna were still pretty flat, but Kagome and Sango's breasts were considerably bigger. _They're so big. Those two are so well-endowed_._ We know they're only a few years older than us, but there shouldn't be such a big difference._ The soft lights made their smooth, sleek skin look amazing. Soon, they moved to a Jacuzzi bath to top off their night. They removed their towels and lowered their bare bodies into the soothing water, feeling the water jets gently massaging their backs, sides and rears. They felt as though they were in heaven, especially Sango. She had never felt anything like it. She wished it could last forever. And it was clear that, from her elated expression, Kagome agreed with her wholeheartedly.

It didn't take long for Asuna to get bored. She wanted to spice things up. She sat up on the side and took the bells out of her hair, letting it fall to her waist. She settled herself back in and spoke up, "Hey, let's see who can hold her breath the longest in here!"

Setsuna flinched. "W-what?" she stammered. Holding her breath had never been her thing. Besides, it reminded her of an incident from her and Konoka's childhoods, when Konoka nearly drowned in a river. It had an extra deep impact on Setsuna, because although she tried, she couldn't save Konoka that day and nearly lost her most precious friend forever.

"Hmm. That sounds like fun," Konoka said. "Alright Asuna, you're on."

"Hey, let us in on that," Kagome piped in happily. "It's a whole different experience in a hot tub. You too, Sango."

"I can't wait," Sango answered enthusiastically.

"Breath holding really isn't my thing, Asuna," Setsuna said quietly. "I'll just judge who comes up first and last."

"Suit yourself," Asuna said tauntingly, taking a deep breath. All four girls submerged at once.

Soon half a minute had passed, and still no winner or loser. _Man, I'm jealous_, Setsuna thought as she leaned back, soaking her black hair in the hot water. She sank down to her nose, just enough to enjoy the heat, yet keep her breath.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. "Who's there," Setsuna called, but her mouth hadn't been above water level at the time, so her voice was muffled. There was no answer.

Then the door slowly creaked open and a person walked in. Setsuna raised herself so she could see better, but the lights were too dim for her to make out who it was. Then she realized it was a boy! Not hesitating, not even to put on her towel, she dashed out of the tub, swooped down on him and grabbed him in two places. "WHO ARE YOU? TELL ME NOW, OR I'LL CRUSH YOUR BALLS!" she shouted angrily. The boy was shorter than she expected, and his testicles were pretty measly, but students had not arrived yet. _This must be … OH NO!_

Then, the boy spoke, or rather, cried, "Awaawaawaa! No, Setsuna! Please, it's me!" It was Negi!

Setsuna gasped. She recoiled so quickly she lost her balance and fell on her bottom. "Ow. That didn't tickle."

Negi bent down to make sure she was alright. She threw up her hands. "Professor Negi, I'm so sorry. I didn't know it was you!"

Negi soothed her down. "Setsuna, it's all right. But seriously, I thought I told you never to do that again!" he said, helping her up.

"Sorry, Professor. It's an old habit. Hard to break." She had actually done this to Negi once before. It was even more embarrassing and awkward the second time.

By now, Konoka and Asuna had surfaced and saw Negi. "Hey, Negi!" called Konoka. "Come and join us, won't you? The water's greeeeeat."

"Why thank you, Konoka," Negi said greatfully. "But first I should wash up, or else Asuna will do it for me."

Just then, Kagome and Sango came up again, Sango just a few seconds after Kagome, and then they both saw Negi. They both recoiled, but when Konoka told them Negi was (unexpectedly and unfortunately) used to being in this sort of situation, they calmed down. In fact, Sango had become quite taken with Negi since they met a few days earlier. He reminded her of her little brother, Kohaku, who had been taken from her by Naraku. Negi was just about the same age as Kohaku, so she now felt a special connection with him.

"Oh we've got that covered, Negi," Konoka said with a cheeky smile, and Kagome and Sango both held up tickets that read:

_Top of his head to his toenails … Bathe Negi Ticket_!

"Konoka! Have you been passing those out behind my back AGAIN?" Negi exclaimed as Asuna grabbed him and threw him into the main tub.

"Subtle, isn't she?" Kagome joked as she and Sango walked over to the side of the tub and seized Negi around his shoulders. "Don't worry. We'll be gentle," they both said as they washed Negi thoroughly, from his head to his toenails, and everything in-between (yes, even there!). He was submissive with them and behaved well, not complaining at all (unlike how he did with Asuna!), but when they reached his more tender, ticklish areas, he couldn't help but thrash around. Both girls thought it great fun. Bathing a child like this would be good practice for when they had families of their own, and Sango couldn't help but remember when she would take baths together with her little brother when they were still small.

By the time they were done, Negi's body was squeaky clean. In fact, his whole body was glinting in the lights. But this time, Negi wasn't traumatized. The last time Konoka had passed out those tickets, ten girls tried to wash him at the same time, leaving him on the brink of unconsciousness.

"Well, that was much better than last time," Negi said with a sigh of relief as he lowered himself into the hot tub with the five girls. "Last time was a nightmare."

"Yeah, I'll say," said a voice. Asuna knew who it was right away. She reached behind Negi's head and grabbed Chamo.

"You erotic ermine!" she yelled. "What are you doing in here, you perverted rat?" She put the pinch on his head.

"Waah! Small animal abuse!" he screamed as she carried him to the door and threw him out.

"He is such a pain in the butt sometimes."

"That's his M.O.," Negi said. "Sorry Kagome, Sango. Chamo can be a little … eccentric sometimes."

"Hah! Horny is more like it!" came Chamo's voice again. "Hah! FOOLED YA, RED! That was just a copy I had Haruna conjure up for me. I didn't tell her what it was for, but she was more than happy to oblige. Ha ha ha!"

"Shut up already, you peeping Tom!" Sango yelled, and threw one of the bath pails into the shadows. They heard it make contact, along with a loud "OUCH!" and a THUMP sound. Negi got up and went to investigate, and he found Chamo in a shadowy corner near the door. He opened the door and tossed him out again.

"Again, I can't tell you how sorry I am for Chamo's behavior," Negi said as he returned to them. "He makes a habit out of doing this."

"It's okay. We get it all the time from Miroku," Sango said, dismissing it. "As you saw, nothing we can't deal with."

"Anyway, Professor Springfield," said Kagome politely. "Please tell us more about that 'Thousand Pimp' name that Kazumi called you."

"Well, you see," Konoka started. "It's probably because of – mmph!" But Asuna had covered her mouth to keep her from speaking.

"Well, what do you know? Look at the time. We'll have to do this again sometime, girls. Ha ha ha," Asuna decided, and she abruptly stood up and pulled Konoka and Setsuna back to the dressing rooms with her, all of their towels slung over her shoulder.

"Uhhh. Girls, where are you going?" Negi awkwardly called after them, being careful not to look at anything he shouldn't, but it was too late. They were gone.

"Oh. Uh. Um. Well, first of all, please just call me 'Negi.' N–now" Negi stammered, blushing. "It's kind of embarrassing. I was hoping they'd be able to help me explain. You see, throughout my six months at Mahora Academy, I had to make pactios, or probationary contracts with many of my students, and in order to do that … they had to … kiss … me."

"Say, what?" they both exclaimed, taken aback.

"You see … the kiss is … essential," Negi went on. "Magic is transferred from wizard to partner through lip to lip contact, and upon the contract's completion, the partner in question is awarded a special card, like this." He reached behind his ear and brought out a pactio card. "I always hang onto mine wherever I go, just in case," he said, before either girl could ask him why he had one with him in the bath. It had a picture of him on it in a very cool pose, complete with billowing cloak over his shoulders and the staff in his right hand, and holding what looked like a little–black–book or a passport in his left hand. "It awards the recipient with a special tool, or artifact, for that person's use. Every artifact is unique and no two cards are the same. Cards with two color tones are considered 'rare,' and have incredibly powerful abilities. Not to brag or anything, but mine is rather special. One of its two color tones is gold and the artifact is very potent. It allows me to use any one of my partners' artifacts as if it were my own," he said proudly. "Each card has its own virtue, direction, color tone, star affinity, and number," he continued, pointing to the different parts of the card. "The card also allows the partner to draw on the mage's power and become stronger. There are several other functions such as telepathy, summoning, and others."

"So that means you've kissed _how_ many girls?" Sango asked him apprehensively.

"Well, if you count this one, then that would be more than ten. I think it's at least a dozen as it stands," Negi told them, blushing.

Kagome's face blanched. A ten-year-old boy had kissed over ten girls, and neither she nor Sango had ever had their first kiss, and Negi was so much younger, too. That was a slap in the face unlike any other!

"Now I assure you, each of those pactios was for a good reason, mostly out of necessity, really," Negi said, trying to calm them down. They looked ready to slap him silly.

"Well I think I've heard enough," Sango said bluntly and she stood up, grabbed her towel and walked out.

"Sango, please wait!" Negi called after her, but the door had already swung shut. "Oh. What did I say?"

"Never mind. She'll come around. Listen, I need to ask your advice, Negi," Kagome asked, leaning close to him.

"Uh, yes? What is it?" Negi asked, blushing a little.

"Over the past few months, I've come to love InuYasha so much, and yet I don't know how to make him see that. You see, up until a little while ago, he couldn't stop thinking of another girl. And now, he barely even shows any affection towards me. What can I do to save our relationship?"

"Well, first of all, let me say that I think it's a beautiful thing for a person to fall in love. Love is a beautiful thing and must never be taken lightly," Negi said wisely. "Being a child, I can't know what that means, and yet, nearly half the girls in my class have some kind of feelings towards me, some more intense than others. But more to the point, besides this other girl, what does InuYasha think about more than anything else?"

"That was beautiful, Negi. You really are mature for your age," Kagome said in awe. "I guess InuYasha thinks about fighting more than anything."

"If I had a yen for every friend I have who's like that," Negi said under his breath, but Kagome didn't hear.

"Whenever we're in battle," she continued. "He always feels he has to protect me, and because of that, he gets distracted and can't fight at full–strength. How can I show my devotion to him?"

"Get stronger."

"Huh?"

"Just what I said," Negi repeated. "Get stronger. Train yourself so you can hold your own in battle. Show him he doesn't have to protect you all the time. Be of use to him in battle. Maybe then he'll see how much you care for him. You see, while he may not show it, my friend Kotaro is quite a bit like InuYasha. The best way to get through to types like that is to make him see you for who and what you really are; not who and what he sees you as. For example, if he sees you as a girl who's fairly strong, but still needs to be protected in times of battle, then show him that you're a strong girl who can take care of herself when the need arises. As far as I know, that's the best way to open his eyes. Of course, it's not a good idea to let things stay as they are for too long, or he'll get the idea that you only want to stay friends. And I think you know as well as I do that isn't what the desired outcome is, after all."

"Wowww," Kagome said in awe. Her eyes were beginning to sparkle with newfound admiration for this boy. It was at this moment that Kagome started to see Negi for what _he_ was: a true teacher through and through. It was as though he was really an ancient wise–man in a little boy's body.

"Oh, and maybe cut down on the sit commands. Try and be a bit more tolerant of him. After all, I get annoyed with Chamo's antics sometimes, but if I'd let Asuna beat him up every time he misbehaved, he probably wouldn't be here right now."

Kagome laughed. "Well, you got me there. Oh, look at the time, let's go, before we start to wrinkle," Kagome said, rising out of the tub, stroking her silky-smooth skin as it glistened in the dim light. Her whole body seemed to sparkle.

Negi followed suit. "Wow," he couldn't help thinking out loud. "Beautiful beyond words. That's a true Japanese beauty." Kagome blushed a deep red and smiled as she pulled up her towel in a very shy, yet veeeeeeeeeeery cute manner.

"Hm," she giggled sweetly. "Thank you." _I know this sounds silly, but I think I'm starting to fall for him, myself. So this is an Englishman's charm._

* * *

Little did they know that the last Chamo had only been another copy, and the real Chamo was still lurking nearby, Chamo–flaged, listening to their conversations. "Oh, this one's definitely askin' for a pactio, but how to rope her in? Oh well, this is boring. Let's spice things up!" He zipped out of his hiding place, heading straight for Kagome, kicking a bar of soap as he went, sending it sliding across the floor.

* * *

Kagome was walking calmly towards the dressing room, humming quietly to herself. Negi was a few steps behind her. All of a sudden, she felt her foot slip on something. At the same time, something came whizzing through the air and caught on her towel, whipping it off her and spinning her around.

CRASH.

"Owie!" she groaned, rubbing her head.

"Ditto," she heard Negi say, but the sound was coming from under her. _I must have fallen on top of him_, she thought. _But that means…_

"OH NO! NOT AGAIN!" Negi screamed, all of a sudden.

Kagome opened her eyes and saw what position the two of them were in. At first she said nothing, and then she let out a shriek that seemed to pierce Negi's brain.

Negi couldn't believe what had just occurred. This was the _fourth_ time this had happened to him, and the other times had been with his own students! One moment, he and Kagome were leaving their baths on a good note that couldn't have been better. Next thing he knows, something sends her flying, there's a big crash, and suddenly, she's sitting on his chest, her uncovered nether regions just centimeters from his face! His eyes were frozen in the open position. Negi couldn't close his eyes, even if his life had depended on it. He was trying to cover his eyes, but the damage had already been done, and in more ways than one! Kagome scrambled off his prone body and turned around, covering herself desperately, tears in her eyes. She swore that when she slid off his body, she felt something suspicious brush against her butt, only making her feel even more uncomfortable.

When she had finally cleared his still–as–stone body, she saw that even though he was still wearing his towel, something was going on underneath it – something that shouldn't be happening to a ten–year–old.

"WHAT'S GOING ON IN HERE?"

Sango dashed back in, only half–dressed, taking everything in at once. "What the FUCK have you done?" she screamed, kicking Negi full in the face, sending him careening into the wall. He slumped to the floor, bleeding out the back of his head.

"I can't believe I ever thought you were anything like my brother!"

"What? Me like who?" Negi said, now completely loopy from the impact to his head.

Sango raised her hand to strike him again, but Kagome grabbed her arm and pleaded, "Sango, no! It wasn't his fault!"

"What do you mean 'it wasn't his fault'?"

"_It wasn't his fault_," Kagome said again, this time more firmly, looking Sango in the eye.

This time Sango relaxed. _Kagome never ceases to scare us with those looks of hers_, she thought.

"I slipped on a bar of soap and something ripped my towel off. Negi was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I swear," Kagome insisted.

"Um. Excuse me," Negi said weakly. "When can I open my eyes?" He had been covering his eyes since before getting kicked. "This head wound doesn't exactly tickle. I need to take care of it before I bleed to death."

"Oh, right," Sango recovered. "Now where's that towel?"

"There! And there's something under it!" Kagome exclaimed, pointing at her towel, which was lying on the floor nearby. It looked like there was something squirming underneath it, and she had a good idea regarding what or who it was.

She was right. It was Chamo. The _real_ Chamo this time. Sango reached down at once, before Chamo could look at anything or anyone, grabbed him around the middle, and slammed him against the wall so hard, the wall started to crack slightly. That did it. The ermine was out cold.

When Kagome was decent again, Negi took his hands off his eyes and said, "Well, that was quite the awkward misunderstanding, huh?"

"I'm so sorry, Negi," Sango pleaded with him, taking his hand. "Will you forgive me for hurting you?"

"Oh, it's quite all right, Sango. Believe it or not, that thing has actually happened to me three already. All by accident, I assure you," Negi reassured her, standing up, with a little help from Kagome. "Now then." He took out his pactio card. "_Adeat_." The card turned into the same black object shown on the card, but it turned out to be a passport–like card–wallet. Negi opened the wallet, reached inside, took out a card, slipped it into a small pocket, closed it and said once again, "_Adeat_." The wallet turned into one of Konoka's fans. "_Flabellum Euri_." The fan floated in front of his body, and for several seconds Negi's body glowed. When the glow faded, his head wound was gone, perfectly healed. "_Abeat_," he said, and the fan disappeared, and his card was back again. "That's better," he sighed.

"Wow!" Kagome and Sango said in unison. They were most impressed.

"Of course, my artifact, Mile Vincula, is of limited usefulness if I can only use one artifact at a time," Negi said bashfully.

"Now we'd better take care of that," he said, turning to the cracked wall. He held out his hand, and said, "_Reparo_." The crack in the wall fixed itself instantly. If Kagome and Sango were not already in awe, they were now.

"Well, then, I think we should all get to bed," he said with a smile. "I daresay we've all had enough excitement for one night." _This is one story I'll keep to myself_, he decided.

"'Kay," Kagome said, smiling.

"Good night, Negi," Sango said with a wave. "Sorry about earlier. Must've been a case of wrong place, wrong time."

"Good night, girls. I'm planning a shopping trip tomorrow at Diagon Alley. We'll get an early start and leave at 9 in the morning. Let's make some good memories this year, so that we can forget this little incident ever happening," Negi answered as he picked up the still-unconscious Chamo and walked out of the bathroom. "Poor little bugger. Honestly, Chamo, you need to stop doing this, or you're going to get me killed." But there was nobody around to hear him. Negi's last thought was, _Is it just me or is having a paipan becoming a trend in Japan these days?_ He knew this was a very dirty thought, but he couldn't help himself, even if just for a moment.

* * *

Spell Translations:

Mile Vincula - Thousand Bonds

Reparo - To renew / To repair

* * *

I hope you liked this chapter. I've always been a big fan of those hilariously awkward situations, and I figured that if Akamatsu could pull something like what happened to Negi with Setsuna, Nodoka and Fumika, I could pull something with Kagome. The explanation of Chamo's Chamo-flage technique will come in a later chapter, as well as who he learned it from.

Funny story, but the whole conversation with Negi and Kagome, an almost identical situation is currently going on between me and a friend of mine who is having a similar kind of trouble to Kagome, and I'm the one playing the part of the relationship counselor / coach / therapist. She told me that I'm just like Negi (like an ancient wise-man in a boy's body). That really made me feel proud.

Please tell me what you think of this chapter, because I'm not at all confident with my fan service writing. I don't know what's good and what's bad, so a word of encouragement would be of some help to me.

See you all in four days. Over that time, I'll try to extend the next chapter, which is Naruto–exclusive, a bit, so that you won't think I'm biased or anything. It's just that with the Leaf Shinobi traveling alone at this point, there isn't that much potential as there is with the others.


	28. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I own these characters in no way!

* * *

Thanks for the reviews. They really meant a lot to me. Thanks to your encouragement, I managed to slightly more than double the length of this chapter, and even I added a rather amusing Forbidden Forest skit into it.

I got the idea from this chapter after overhearing a documentary my roommate was watching about the American Revolution and Paul Revere's "midnight ride," and watching that cell phone commercial featuring the rapper idiots saying, "The fees are coming. The fees are coming." Then, it just hit me. If my title makes you laugh, and I hope it does, then my idea was a good one.

* * *

The Ninjas Are Coming! The Ninjas Are Coming!

Meanwhile, miles away from Hogwarts, Naruto and his companions had come upon a small town and were trying to find a place to bed down for the night. It was less than one day's trip from here to the castle. "Not long now," said Kakashi as they walked through the empty streets. "We'll be there by noon tomorrow if we get an early start."

"Good," Naruto yawned. He was tired and looking forward to lying down after a long day of running. "So where are we sleeping tonight, Sensei?"

"Don't know," Kakashi admitted. "The people here don't seem to trust us." The people wouldn't come near them. Apparently, nobody in this day and age wears a mask like Kakashi's or headbands like theirs anymore, unless they're someone who can't be trusted or were looking for a fight. Kakashi didn't like that stereotype at all, but there wasn't much he could do about it.

"You guys wait here," Sakura said at last. "I'll see if I can't at least get directions to this mountain here. The castle is on the far side," she said, bringing out the map. She walked away to find someone who could help point them on their way.

"Hey, Naruto, look at this!" Lee called over from the middle of the street. "There is something here I think you should see." He was crouching over what looked like a series of large holes and scorch marks on the ground. They had been roped off by the local authorities. To an ordinary person, it looked like ordinary lightning had hit the ground here in several places, but the shinobi knew better. The places where it had struck were too close together.

Naruto and Guy walked over and surveyed the damage. "The rocks are blasted apart and partially melted," Guy said warily. "A powerful Lightning–Style jutsu is behind this." He could still sense the electricity in the air.

"Is it the Chidori?" inquired Naruto, starting to get excited. "Is it Sasuke?"

"No. I don't think so," Guy concluded as Kakashi joined them. "This isn't the Chidori. You see, the Chidori can't make the necessary heat to melt the ground like this. I've seen Kakashi use that jutsu dozens of times, and I've never seen a mess like this."

Kakashi walked over to a particularly large crater, and he raised his headband, revealing the Sharingan in his left eye. He'd received this special eye as a gift from a dying friend many years ago. Slowly he gazed at the crater from every angle. "You're right, Guy," he said at last. "This isn't normal lightning, that's true. But this is no jutsu. It used energy like nothing I've ever seen before. There's a strange aura filling this crater."

"I agree," they heard Neji say as he walked up to them and examined the area for himself. "My Byakugan detected something odd as we arrived. This area is filled with some unidentifiable energy, and it isn't chakra either."

"A strange aura?" questioned Naruto. "Don't tell me it's some sort of magic or something."

"Huh?" Kakashi and Guy said in unison, turning towards him.

"That's right. I remember this school we're going to is supposed to teach magic," Neji reminded them. "This means there must also be someone else using magic around here. Someone who isn't very subtle or affable."

Just then, Sakura came running back with the map. "They told me there's no castle over that mountain; just an old ruin. Either way, that's where we're heading, so we've got no choice but to head there. I've plotted the fastest route. We should get there mid–morning tomorrow, IF we don't meet with any resistance or trouble on the way there," she said, panting slightly. "The forest on the edge of town isn't supposed to be inhabited, so we best camp there. Is anything wrong?"

"No, no, Sakura. Everything's fine," Kakashi answered her in a very easygoing manner. "Come on, everybody. Let's go set up camp."

"Aw, man," Naruto groaned under his breath. "Another night of sleeping on the ground."

"Suck it up, Naruto," Choji said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Just think of the nice, warm beds waiting for us there, or better yet, all that delicious food."

Grumbling to himself as he rolled his eyes at Choji's remark, he followed everyone to the woods, but his mind was still on Sasuke. Despite the fact that his former friend had turned on him and joined up with the Akatsuki, determined to annihilate his home village, Naruto still remained set on bringing Sasuke back to his senses, if he still had them. _Even if I have to tear off your limbs and drag you back to the Leaf Village by your hair, Sasuke_, he thought. _I'll keep my promise to Sakura, and bring you home. I swear it!_

* * *

They awoke the next morning at first light, around 5:30 in the morning, and after ten minutes of packing up camp, they set out again.

"But I'm not ready," Choji complained, taking out a bag of potato chips. "I'm not done with breakfast yet."

"Then eat it while we go, Choji," Shikamaru said, yawning. "We've got a schedule to keep and we're late as it is."

"He's right," Neji said, standing up and shouldering his bag. "We need to rendezvous with our client as soon as possible. They must be wondering about us."

Kakashi and Guy agreed. "We need to hurry," Kakashi said firmly. And with that, they set off.

* * *

They made good time during the first hour. After that, the terrain was mostly flat grasslands, so there were no trees to make things go faster, so the shinobi had go it on foot. Choji ended up getting tired more than once and had to stop to eat something, making Naruto, Sakura and even Shikamaru want to give him a swift kick in the pants to keep him on his toes.

Eventually, they came to a dark forest that seemed darker and more ominous than any they had ever seen before. Kakashi held out an arm for them to stop. "Sakura, did you find out about this forest?" he asked, lifting up his headband to reveal his Sharingan eye. "I'm getting a really bad feeling about what's in there. Like it's the last place I want to enter."

"No, not a thing," Sakura confessed. "No one ever goes near this forest. For whatever reason, whenever someone gets close to the trees, they suddenly feel like this is the last place they want to be, or they remember an appointment, and leave. But according to the mission docs, our destination is on the far side of it. But I don't know how big it is."

"All right," Guy called. "Neji, do your stuff," he told his student.

"Yes, sir," Neji nodded, his Byakugan eyes already forming. He paused for a moment and looked both ways. "I can see it is several kilometers wide and many kilometers deep. I can't see the other side. It would take us too long to go around. Our best option is to go straight through, but we should take caution. I can see a great number of creatures that we probably want to steer clear of."

"What?!" yelled Naruto. "That's crazy. Are you a ninja or not? Neji, I'm seen you tangle with some seriously tough guys before, so why are you afraid of a few wolves and stuff? COME ON!! We're wasting time!" He took a deep breath and ran into the forest before anyone could stop him.

"Naruto! Come back!" Kakashi called after him. _Why does he have to be so stubborn and impulsive?!_

"I agree with Naruto," Lee said flatly. "If going through is the fastest way, then let's go, Guy–Sensei." And he ran in too.

"Ah, the power of YOUTH!" Guy burst out. "Let's run Lee! We can out run anything on two or four legs!" He tore into the forest right after Lee. "Come on, kids. You don't want to get left behind! You too, Kakashi!"

Neji let out a sigh as everyone started running. "It's not what's on two or four legs that worries me," he said to himself quietly as he joined his comrades in the long charge through the trees. _I just hope my worries are in vain._

* * *

After an hour of running, they came upon a cave that seemed to go into the ground. "Hmm," Naruto thought out loud, looking in. "I wonder where this goes."

"I don't see anything," said Neji, using his Byakugan to search for life–forms. "Looks more like a dead–end than anything else."

"Is there water down there?" asked Sakura. "We're all out, and we haven't seen any water in over a day and a half."

"I can't tell," Neji answered her after several moments.

"I'll go in and investigate," Naruto said, ducking down and venturing into the cave.

"B – be careful, Naruto," Hinata called in after.

"Don't worry," they heard Naruto say, already out of sight. "I'll be fine."

* * *

As Naruto crept deeper and deeper into the cave, he started to get second thoughts. His ears started pick up the sound of scurrying. He looked down and around, but there were no rats to be seen. Then he saw them. Hundreds upon hundreds of tiny spiders were coming into the cave, as though they were following him. "Ecch. That's creepy."

He finally came to an open area that ended in a dead–end, just as Neji had said. There was a large hole at the end of the clearing, but when he crept over and peered in, he found there was nothing in it. Not even a drop of water. "Erg," he growled in frustration. "What am I gonna tell Sakura?"

When he turned around and saw the spiders still swarming into the area, each no bigger than the digit of his thumb, he got a mischievous idea. He bent down and picked one up. _What if I put one of these in Sakura's hair? She hates spiders! That would be so _–"

"Meat."

"Huh?" he exclaimed looking around. "Who's there?"

Then he heard it again. "Meat. Meat."

"Hey! Who's in here?!"

Then, something came down from the ceiling and splattered on his face. He put up a hand and wiped it away. "Ew. Gross! What is this? Huh?" He looked up, and the instant he did, he ended up wishing he hadn't.

* * *

"That's it!" Sakura fumed. "He's been gone too long."

"I wonder what could have happened to him," Lee wondered out loud.

Suddenly, they heard foot steps coming toward them, but it wasn't just Naruto. It sounded like a million Naruto's were coming out all at once. It started to get louder. Then, they saw Naruto come racing out at full tilt, screaming, "RRRRRUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!" He charged straight through them and kept on going until he was out of sight.

The others had only a moment to look back into the cave before they saw a massive army of enormous spiders come charging out, heading straight for them. Some of them were bigger than Guy. A few were twice as big as Choji.

"RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" Kakashi and Guy yelled in panic. "AND DON'T STOP!"

"And you thought _you_ were chubby, Choji!" Shikamaru told his best friend as they ran. "They make you look skinny as a toothpick!"

"Shut up, Shikamaru!" Choji shot back in a shaky voice.

"AIEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!" shrieked Sakura as she tore after Naruto, quickly catching up to him, the rest at their heels. "I HATE SPIDERS!"

* * *

Ten miles away, Ron Weasley woke with a start. "Spiders?! Where?! Where?!!"

"Hm?" Hermione said from next to him as she opened a sleepy eye. "Go back to sleep, Ron. There are no spiders within a mile of here."

"Righ'. Right," Ron said drowsily, lying back down, and a second later, he was snoring as though nothing had happened, but this still didn't keep him from having nightmares about spiders that night.

* * *

I hope you all enjoyed my most recent project. I regret to say that this chapter wasn't 100% Naruto like I said, but I just felt that little Ron–moment right at the end would be just priceless in this situation.

Next chapter, it's time to go shopping, and it's Floo Powder that's going to get them there. Let's just hope they get there without any complications like in the second HP movie!

That's in three days, when TNA Wrestling takes over Mondays Nights! Yeah, I'm a TNA fan. Big fan. Doesn't get any better than Hulk Hogan & Abyss vs Ric Flair & A.J. Styles, baby!

'Till then! DIAGON ALLEY!! *Throws powder down and vanishes*


	29. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: No material having to do with anything I am about to write about is owned by me.

* * *

First of all, I'd like to dedicate this chapter to the Esopus Hall CDA here at SUNY New Paltz, Matt M., in celebration of his birthday. Happy Birthday, dude. You deserve it!

* * *

Second, I'd like to say, Thank You, to all my readers. I really appreciate all the hits I've been getting this past week. I hope you all liked my idea to have Naruto investigate Aragog's lair. I thought it would be hilarious to have all those spiders chase them around the forest. At least, this way, the shinobi would be delayed a bit until Negi and his girls got back from their excursion to the Wizard Shopping Center.

* * *

Shopping Spree At Diagon Alley

Negi woke up at the crack of dawn, just like everyday, but today was different. He had a very full day ahead of him. He would not have much time for training today. From 9 to 11:30 AM, he was taking several of his girls, as well as InuYasha's group to one of the premier wizard shopping centers in England, Diagon Alley. It was the place to go if you were looking for school supplies. Because the place was so busy with activity, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley had volunteered to guide everybody around the always–crowded shopping mall.

Negi put on his best suit, washed up quickly, walked out of the castle entrance, and stretched to the sky. He hadn't thought he could've gotten such a good night's sleep, given the state of things. It was something about Hogwarts that makes you feel safe, as though all your worries were insignificant.

As he strode towards the huge building looming half–way across the grounds, Harry and Ron came out the front entrance to meet him. Konoka, Setsuna, Nodoka, Kagome, InuYasha, Shippo, Sango, Miroku, Ayaka and Kotaro were already waiting for him. The girls were very eager to go shopping, just like all other girls their age. "Well, everyone, ready to go?" he asked brightly.

He was answered with one big "YEAH!" Harry and Ron jumped. They were still half-asleep and had gotten quite the wake–up call. It mostly came from the girls and Shippo, but Miroku seemed unusually excited. Maybe he was planning to sneak off once they were in the crowd and go off flirting. As always, Sango suspected this, and was determined to keep her eye on the "good monk."

"Then let's go," Negi said with a smile, and led them back inside the building and into the lobby where a grand fireplace awaited them, the fire roaring. "Mr. Potter, if you would," he turned to Harry calmly. Harry took out a small bag from within the folds of his robes and handed it to Negi. Negi turned to the crowd and cleared his throat. "All right, listen up everyone. We'll be traveling by Floo Powder, so you need to be careful. The slightest mistake and you could end up miles away." He took a pinch of powder and threw it into the flames, which to the surprise of the crowd, save for Harry and Ron, turned a brilliant green. "Two by two, you will step into the flame and speak your destination." Several people gasped, and InuYasha looked at him suspiciously, as though he'd gone nuts, but Negi dismissed their shock and continued. "Don't worry. The emerald flames won't as much as hurt you at all. If nothing else, they might tickle just a little. Anyway, once you speak your destination, you will be sent there magically." He was met with a few "ooh's" and even some "ahh's." "Mr. Weasley, would you demonstrate?"

Ron nodded and stepped into the green fire, took a deep breath and said clearly, "Diagon Alley!" and disappeared. The crowd was awestruck.

"As you can see, it's quite easy if you know what you're doing," Negi said matter–of–factly in true–teacher–fashion.

"It's easy, he says," Harry said under his breath. The first time he'd used Floo Powder, he'd mispronounced his destination and ended up lost in Knockturn Alley, the polar opposite of Diagon Alley, steeped in shady people and dark magic shops.

"But I warn you, ladies and gentlemen. You must speak very, very, _very_ clearly when you give your destination. But don't worry, it's not like you'll end up in Hell if you mess up, so no pressure. Ha ha ha! Is he kidding – is he just messing with us?" he laughed at his own joke. Everyone glared at him. "Ah … ha," he tittered nervously. "So, who'd like to go first?"

Everybody looked nervous. Suddenly, Shippo jumped forward. "Ah, a volunteer," Negi said at last.

Shippo panicked. "Who, me? But InuYasha kicked me!"

"Did not!" InuYasha snapped at him, pulling his foot back.

"Sit boy," commanded Kagome softly and calmly. WHAM! InuYasha's face slammed into the cold, hard slate tiles. Ayaka couldn't stop herself from laughing and neither could Konoka.

"That never gets old!" Konoka giggled.

"What?" Ayaka exclaimed. "You mean you've seen this before and didn't tell me, Konoka?"

"It would've spoiled the surprise," she answered, giving her the peace sign.

"Well, in any case," Negi interrupted, pulling InuYasha to his feet in a single jerk. "I guess we've got our first two volunteers. InuYasha, Shippo, go on ahead."

InuYasha picked up Shippo by his bushy tail and cautiously stepped into the fire. He'd been lit on fire before, but this, he didn't even feel. Even the burning timber didn't even tickle his bare feet. "Uh, Diagon Alley?" Shippo said cautiously, and immediately they started to spin. A moment later, they were gone.

When the green flames settled again, Negi clapped his hands together and said, "Wonderful! Well then, ladies, see you on the other side. Nodoka, let's go." He and Nodoka stepped into the flames, Negi shouted out, "Diagon Alley!" and they were gone.

When the flames had settled once again, Konoka and Setsuna joined hands and slowly walked up to the fire. They looked into each other's eyes briefly before taking that last step. "Stay with me, okay?" Setsuna said in an unwavering voice.

"Always," replied Konoka happily. They did what Negi had done and vanished into the fire.

As soon as they disappeared, Miroku turned to Sango and whispered in her ear, "They gotta be lesbians," only to get elbowed sharply in the ribs. He crumbled to the floor.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Miroku," Sango smiled as she grabbed Kotaro by the hand and pulled the dog–eared boy into the fire.

"Then what did you do that for, Sango?" Miroku tried to say as they disappeared, still on the floor, holding his ribs.

Two by two, everyone walked through the fire and was transported, until only Harry and Miroku remained.

"Well, best not get left behind," Harry said to the young monk, who sighed as they both entered the fire and Harry called out their destination.

When he stopped spinning in the fireplace of the Leaky Cauldron, the wizard pub on the outskirts of Diagon Alley, Harry opened his eyes and saw everyone piled on top of one another in a big clump with Ron on the bottom. Apparently when InuYasha and Shippo came out, they had flown out of the fireplace and bowled him over, and from the looks of things, so had everyone else. "Um, is everyone all right?" he asked worriedly.

"Define 'all right,' Harry," Ron moped, drumming his fingers on the floor as people around the pub stared and laughed. "What did I do to deserve this?"

"Aw, shut up!" InuYasha yelled. "And get your foot out of my pants! That heel of yours isn't exactly something I'd rather have touching me there!"

"Look who's talking," Sango groaned. "Someone's hand is up my kimono. Miroku!"

"No, it's not me this time Sango!" cried Miroku, whose fondling–hand was stuck up Negi's pant leg, which wasn't his favorite place for his hand to be. "Although I wouldn't mind if it _was_ me, just this once," he whispered under his breath.

"Oops, sorry. I think that's me," said Negi innocently. If only he could do something to prevent that from always happening to him.

"Oh my! P-professor, I – I – I – I – I – I … I think I'm sitting on your you–know–where!" came Nodoka's voice, craning her neck to look at him. "OH NO! I think it's getting you–know–what–er!"

Miroku had to chuckle at this. For once, it wasn't him.

"Hey! Behave yourself, 'Professor'!" Kagome and Sango said to him in unison.

"I'm sorry!" Negi squealed, his glasses askew. "I'm not doing it on purpose!"

There were still more awkward situations. Shippo was face–to–face with Kagome's panties, Kotaro's face was pressed into Ayaka's cleavage, and Konoka's hand was stuck up Setsuna's top and had become tangled in her bra. Although neither of them seemed to mind as much as everyone else, it looked to Harry like Setsuna was dangerously close to an orgasm. Apparently she liked it more than even _she_ realized.

Harry couldn't help but laugh. _You've gotta love those first times! Something funny always happens!_ he thought.

When everyone had finally gotten untangled and settled down, with some very awkward moments mixed in, Harry and Ron noticed they had unexpected company.

"Ronald Weasley," laughed a plump, middle-aged woman with curly, shoulder–length red hair. "How many times have your father and I told you to move out of the way when using Floo Powder? Not everyone is good with the re–entry."

"Mum? Dad?" Ron exclaimed. "What are you doing here? How did you know we were coming?"

"We had that special clock modified," said Ron's father, Arthur Weasley as he walked over to greet his son and Harry. "We had a few other positions put in, including 'Diagon Alley,' 'Ministry,' and a handful of others, and we also had an extra hand added for each member of the family. And it's a good thing too, because ever since a week ago, the hands have been changing quite often, but one hand for each of us has been on 'Mortal Peril' for over two weeks now. What's been going on?"

"I believe I can explain that, sir," Negi said, walking up to Arthur and offering his hand. "Professor Negi Springfield. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Good Lord," Arthur gasped. "The pleasures all mine," he spluttered, running forward to shake Negi's hand. "I'm Arthur Weasley and this is my wife, Molly, and you can color me shocked. My dear boy, I've heard you're quite the celebrity. I received a letter from Ron the other day about a wizard's duel between yourself and Dumbledore's Army, and a Quidditch match against Harry. When I heard about your stunning performances, I pictured a more … imposing presence."

"Oh, trust me, Dad," Ron interrupted. "There's much, _much_ more to this one than meets the eye. Trust me, he beat all of us with a simple wave of his hand."

"Actually, it was more of a telekinetic push, but it did the job all the same," was Negi's reply.

"Well, excuse me, young man," Molly said suddenly. "But it seems absurd that a mere boy like yourself could ever be a school teacher. Aren't you still in school yourself?"

"Not at all. Actually, I went to an academy in Wales that starts at a much younger age than Hogwarts does. You see, we mages believe that magical talent is at its most potent point in development right after one's toddler years, so Hogwarts could even be considered as a prep school for wizards whose magic potential didn't show up at such a time. As for me, I started at age four, finished a seven-year course in five, and graduated at the top of my class. In addition, I've achieved a 'muggle's' Bachelor's Degree in teaching, so you could say that I'm more than qualified.

"What's more," Negi went on. "I was recruited as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts over Mr. Potter here, and I'm sure Mr. Weasley here told you about my abilities, magical and otherwise," he said, gesturing in Ron's direction. "Anyway, I would be more than happy to brief you on the current situation over a cup of tea once I've sent my students on their way. I just need to take them to the bank and take some gold out of my account for them to buy supplies for Hogwarts this year."

"I can take care o' tha'," came a familiar voice.

"Hagrid!" Harry exclaimed, turning to find him and Hermione standing by the front door. "What are you doing here?"

"Followin' you o' course," Hagrid laughed. "Runnin' off ter Diagon Alley without telling us. I thought we were friends, Harry."

"Really, you two," Hermione said sternly. "You couldn't tell _me_ you were going? Ron, what did I marry you for?"

Ron's ears went red. "Sorry. I just got caught up and forgot."

"It's a surprise you even remembered our anniversary this year," she glared coldly at him.

Kotaro held back his laughter. "They're even more dysfunctional than you and Asuna," he whispered in Negi's ear.

Negi didn't laugh. "Hark, is that Chizuru's voice I just heard, calling for you? Something about a 'negi suppository'?" he whispered back.2

"Ch – Chi – Chizuru?" Kotaro gasped, his dog–ears perking up at the sound of the name. "Where? Where? Where?" Chizuru Naba, another of Negi's students, and notably, the girl with the biggest breasts in the class, was the one who looked after Kotaro for a time after he had first appeared on the Mahora campus, but she always had a knack for appearing out of nowhere and scaring the socks off the young hybrid. "Don't scare me like that!" he said, punching Negi's ribs.

"Harry, Ron, Hermione n' I'll take good care o' your girls, Professor," Hagrid told Negi. "Just leave your key with me and tell me the number o' yer Gringotts vault and Molly and I'll make sure they get everythin' they need. Harry, Ron, Hermione, you too. I get the feeling you'll be needin' to stock up as well. Professor, you stay here and talk with Arthur here. He works at the Ministry, but he hasn't been briefed on the situation and needs to know what's goin' on."

"In that case, I'm staying too," InuYasha interrupted them. "I'll need to explain my part of it. Sango, you and Miroku, look after Kagome for me."

"Sure thing, InuYasha," Miroku said. "She's in safe hands with me – uh, I mean, with us."

"All right, let's go, Mr. Hands" Sango said, and started pulling Miroku out of the bar by his ear.

"Oi, where d'you two think you're goin'," Hagrid called after them. "The alley is this way." He pointed towards the back door. "Follow me," he ordered, marching towards the backdoor.

When he opened the door, everyone saw that they were face–to–face with a brick wall. There was an odd patch of four bricks that were, for some reason, deeper into the wall than the others. He took out his umbrella and tapped five seemingly randomly placed bricks around the deeper patch with the tip, and all of a sudden, the bricks came alive and began to fold over each other to yield a passage to the street behind it.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley," Hagrid announced with a grand wave of his frying–pan–sized hand. The group couldn't take everything in at once even if they wanted to, even though they wanted to. Signs and faces were catching their eyes left and right, one after the other.

"Well," Negi said gaily. "Where to first?" And everyone started pointing to places all at once.

"Our first stop would be Gringotts, the wizard bank. You need to get some gold outta yer vaults before you start buyin' stuff," chuckled Hagrid, herding them all down the lane towards the end of the street where the huge bank stood.

As they walked into the main hall, the group was astonished to find the room filled with wrinkled, grumpy-looking creatures. "Uh, Hagrid," Negi started. "Are these –"

"Goblins, Professor. Clever as they come, but not the most friendly of creatures. Best you not get involved in their kind of politics."

"Nor are they the most trustworthy of beasts," Ron whispered to Harry and Hermione.

Hagrid enlisted the help of one of the goblins to take them to each of their vaults, and one by one, they opened the big iron doors to reveal mountains of gold. Harry's mountain in Vault #687 was considerably bigger than anyone else's, of course, being the famous wizard he'd always been.

Then they came to Negi's vault. It was Vault #715. Harry recognized this one. It was only two doors down from the vault that the Sorcerer's Stone had resided in not 15 years ago, and like Vault #713, it had no lock. "Stand back," the little goblin told Negi as the boy–Professor shoved him out of the way. He stood on his tiptoes and ran his hooked fingernail down a crease on the door. They heard a series of locks come undone on the inside, and the door slowly swung open to reveal … nothing?

There was almost nothing in the vault. In fact, there was barely a vault at all. Five inches from the edge, there was just a wall. All that remained in the vault was a little silver chain with a blue pendant decorated with a white crescent moon and a small star. Everyone looked shocked.

_Surely that's not all there is_, Harry thought skeptically. _Even Ron's vault has more gold in it_.

As if to answer his question, Negi picked up the chain and inserted the pendant into a small, hard–to–see indentation in the wall. The pendant started to glow, and the glow spread through the wall till it reached the door of the vault. Slowly, the wall split open to reveal gold as far as the eye could see. It was a double–sealed vault. Even Negi was shocked. He had no idea his father had been so wealthy. "Evangeline and Ku:Nel never mentioned this," he whispered to himself. _Of course Rakan wouldn't have mentioned it even if he had remembered._

"Whoooooooaaaah," Ron couldn't help but say. "And I thought Harry was rich."

"And I thought Ayaka was rich," Konoka said to herself. _Note to self: Don't tell Haruna about this._ "Ayaka, make sure you don't tell Asuna about this," she whispered to her friend.

"No need to tell me even once," Ayaka whispered back. _If Asuna knew about this, she'd rub it in my face and never let me forget it._

Hermione leaned over to Negi and whispered in his ear. "You've never been here before, right?"

"Yes, that's right," he answered her, still a little short of breath.

"Then how did you know to do that?"

"I can't explain it," he said simply. "Somehow, I just knew." He reached out and grabbed several armfuls of gold, silver and bronze, put it all in his money bag, and with a wave of his staff, the walls finally closed again. Negi reached out and took the chain when everything had settled again. He slipped it over his right wrist. "I remember my grandfather telling me about this chain. It's an heirloom passed down by my father, and they say it possesses magical powers of its own. He said if I ever found it, I should keep it with me at all times, so that's what I'm going to do."

"What kind of powers does it have?" Hermione asked him curiously.

Negi's answer was simple. "It is said that when it is used in combination with this staff, the wielder is said to be invincible. But the scary thing is, my father was already considered invincible, so I guess he thought he didn't need it." _Perhaps having it would've saved him from defeat when he fought Fate 10 years ago._

The ride back to the start was not at all pleasant. The mine cars they were riding in swayed dangerously as they sped along. They only had one speed setting, and that happened to be really fast. Shippo wasn't having a good time. "Let me off this thing," he wailed, his eyes squeezed shut. "I don't wanna be here anymore." Suddenly, the rushing and rumbling noise stopped. "I wanna stop! I wanna stop!" he cried. Then he opened his eyes and saw everyone staring at him. "We have stopped!" he said thankfully, his face beginning to flush a little.

Once they were back outside, Negi split up the gold amongst his girls and they broke up into groups to go about their morning. Hagrid, Negi, Kotaro, InuYasha and Ayaka went back to the pub to talk to Mr. Weasley about the current situation, while everyone else split up and headed for the shops. Since Ayaka was still in the dark about things, as well as for a few other assorted reasons, she felt she needed to accompany Negi.

The first stop for the group was Flourish and Blott's, the bookstore. This store was full of books, with wall–to–wall bookshelves that stretched to the very ceiling. Nodoka felt as though she was in heaven. When it was time to leave, everyone had to pull the struggling "Bookworm" out of the shop by her blouse, kicking and screaming. The next stop was Ollivander's wand shop, the finest new-age wand shop in England. Everyone had to be fitted for their own wands, as every person had a certain affinity, and the wand draws from that affinity and chooses its owner. Mostly, Negi's girls didn't need them, as they already had wands of their own, old–age wands that didn't contain the inherent handicap of the new–age wands. New–age wands had magical catalysts placed inside in order to draw in magic power from nature. The last person to be fitted with a wand was Kagome. It took over 20 minutes for the old, never–blinking Ollivander to find a wand suitable for her. He finally settled on a very unorthodox combination: a wand made of alder with a phoenix tail–feather inside. It took over two hours to get everything together, and by now, the sun was getting high in the sky. Noon was approaching as the team picked up all their new belongings and headed back towards the Leaky Cauldron.

* * *

1. CDA – Community Development Assistant (and he's a great guy, too)

2. Refers to suppositories of green onions, as mentioned in book #8.

* * *

Oh, it's not over yet. There's one more thing for our heroes to experience before they head for Home Sweet Home–Away–From–Home. We're about to see what happens when a demon gets drunk. THAT'S RIGHT! Next chapter, InuYasha is drunk, and on a rampage, and we might even get a few laughs in as well.

That chapter comes in four days, when my Spring Break starts.


	30. Special Chapter 4: InuYasha’s Ordeal

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha, Negima!, or Harry Potter, but I do own my own ideas about InuYasha's drunken behavior ... especially because we've never seen him drunk before.

* * *

I'd like to dedicate the release of this chapter to my friend, Zuri, who just had her 22nd Birthday the other day. I know I ain't just speakin' for myself when I say, "Love ya, girl!"

* * *

Now that that's out of the way (LOL), it's time for our friends to have the experience of a lifetime. When InuYasha gets drunk and starts trying to kill his friends, will he be stopped? I sure hope so. There's no story if he isn't! Also, for all you Harry Potter fans out there, there's a special surprise in this chapter somewhere. I studied hard and figured out how Rowling came up with the wand matches, and ... well ... I'll let you find out.

* * *

InuYasha's Ordeal

When they finally pushed open the door and walked in, they were shocked to see that the entire pub was in shambles. Negi was trying to keep order in the chaotic mess, Arthur Weasley was hiding behind a pillar, and Ayaka was standing by Negi staring at something. Tables were smashed, walls were cracked, chairs were in splinters, and bottles behind the counter were all smashed and the drinks had all been spilt, and at the center of it all, lying face-up, in a drunken stupor, was InuYasha.

"What? What happened here?!" Harry spluttered.

"Kagome, look at InuYasha!" Shippo said, pointing. "This has got to be his doing. Kagome?"

But Kagome wasn't listening. Her entire body was burning with frustration. "InuYasha!!!!!" she yelled in an ever–increasing–in–volume voice. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!!!!!!"

"Huh? Guh?" InuYasha muttered as he tried to straighten up, but quickly collapsed again with a loud "Oomph."

"After we finished talking," Arthur started in a trembling voice, coming out from behind a nearby pillar. "He went up to the bartender and ordered a beer. The bartender said no, because he was too young, but the boy grabbed him by the collar and threatened to tear his face apart, so he gave it to him. He drank it all in one gulp."

"Then his body went all wobbly," Negi said, turning towards them. "He started saying some crazy things and started tearing the place apart, as though he was seeing something that wasn't there and was trying to attack it. At one point, he called out Naraku's name."

"He must have had a hallucination," said Hagrid, walking over to the half–demon and looking down at his eagle–spread body. "Drank his drink too quickly. I guess the Jap'nese can't hold their liquor very –"

But he was cut off when InuYasha tried to grab him by the neck. "Whoa!" he gasped, tripping over a broken chair as he jumped back. "Ow!" he groaned, grabbing his ankle.

"Ah ha ha ha. Ah ha ha," InuYasha started laughing, his face all flushed, now all crazy–eyed. "Don't think you can escape from me. Naraku! Come 'ere you!" he roared, extending his claws. "I'll tear you limb from – hic – limb, you – hic bas – hic – tard!"

"Hey, what are yer doing?" Hagrid said in a panic, as soon as he realized the guy was serious, struggling to get to his feet.

"_Petrificus totalus!_" Harry, Ron and Hermione shouted, pointed their wands at InuYasha. The half–demon was blown backwards several feet, but he just kept laughing. "Oh no," Hermione exclaimed. "Why didn't it work?"

"He mus' be partly immune ter magic," Hagrid said in amazement. "He's jus' like me."

"InuYasha, stop!" Shippo said, jumping in front of him. "It's us, your friends."

"Don't think ya cin fool me, Naraku," InuYasha said, his speech becoming slurred. "I'm wise to yer – hic – tricks." He reached for his sword at his left hip, which was somehow at his right hip now, so his hand found only empty air. "Sooooooo, taken my Tet – hic – my Tet – hic – my Tet – hic – my whatchamacallit, havya? Well I don't – hic – don't need tha' ol' thang ta – hic – ta clobba' ya'. Hic," he hiccupped, advancing on Shippo, constantly tripping over his own two feet, a fierce, yet loopy look on his face.

"Wow," Ron and Kotaro said out of nowhere. "This is surprisingly amusing."

"Waaaa! Ka – Kagome! Help me!" Shippo wailed, desperately dodging InuYasha's attempts to grab him by the head.

But again, Kagome didn't hear him. This time, she was giggling uncontrollably, and so was Sango. Even Miroku was having a hard time keeping a straight face. They'd never seen InuYasha drunk before. This was a side of him they'd never seen before. InuYasha had never had a single drink before now.

Negi dashed forward and seized InuYasha's wrists, trying to restrain the crazed demon boy. "Everyone get back as far as you can! Ayaka, you too!" he called, struggling to maintain his grip.

"Professor," Ayaka cried out in concern. "Please be careful."

"Don't worry," Negi reassured her. "I'm always careful." But at that moment, InuYasha swung himself around, hurling Negi against the wall, hard.

"Oh no! Professor Springfield!" she cried. Then InuYasha turned to her, still laughing weirdly.

"And where d'ya think yer goin' – hic – Sessh – hic – Sessh – hic – Sesshy?" he said drunkenly, staggering towards the girl. "Come 'ere n give yer lil' brotha a hug! Hic."

Kagome was beside herself. "Se – Se – Sesshy?" she gasped between fits of laughter. Could these be InuYasha's true feelings towards his older half–brother, Sesshomaru?

Before Ayaka could do anything, InuYasha put his arms around her and said, "I 'now yer always tryn' to steal my Tet – hic – my whateveritis, but you can't – hic – help it. I 'now ye've always been jealous o' me! Hic!"

"Hey! Get off me!" Ayaka screamed at the top of her voice. "I don't know who you're talking about. Stop it right this minute! As the former Class Representative of Professor Springfield's class –"

Even Shippo was laughing by now. Sango was laughing so hard she was hanging onto Miroku for support. She was in such hysterics she didn't even realize he was taking this opportunity to stroke her bottom. Miroku couldn't believe his luck. This was the first time she didn't slap the spit out of him when he did this.

By now, Kagome starting to get over her laughter and was beginning to get tired of InuYasha's drunken antics. InuYasha was right in the middle of giving Ayaka a noogie when she said the magic words. "That's enough. InuYasha, sit boy."

CRASH!

InuYasha fell right on his face, splintering the already damaged floor severely and making a large sink–hole. Slowly, he peeled his face off the floor and yelled, "Would you stop doin' that?!"

"Finally, you're sober again," Kagome said in relief.

"Huh? What? Did I do something wrong?" he asked himself after a long pause.

"Will you get off me you beast?!" Ayaka screamed. InuYasha had fallen right on top of her.

"Well, that was … weird," Setsuna said out the side of her mouth.

"No, bout adout it," giggled Konoka. "I didn't know demons could get that crazy when they're drunk."

"Now you see why I never drink, Miss Konoka."

When everyone was on their feet again and in their right minds again, Negi made a wide movement with his staff and everything fixed itself, as though time were reversing itself. Drinks were back in their bottles, which were in once piece again and totally crack–free, tables were whole again, and all the chairs had their legs back on and were set up perfectly against the tables. "Well, that was fun," he said lightly. "Truth be told, I half–expected everything to collapse again. You see, this is the first time I've used that spell." Everyone stared at him in amazement. Harry had only seen that spell once before, and that was back when Albus Dumbledore was still alive.

"Come now, Professor, you did it so masterfully," Ayaka dismissed his words. "Surely you jest."

"No, Ayaka. I meant it," Negi smiled brightly. "And please don't call me 'Shirley.'" Everyone laughed.

_I've always wanted to say that_, Negi thought with a grin. "Anyway, I think it's time we got ready to go back to school. But I will ask InuYasha and Ayaka to remain here with me for a short time. Since you were here while the shopping went on, we need to get you a few things, wands included, and InuYasha, we'll get you something here that will prevent one of those painful hangovers, because you're bound to have one after all of that."

"After all of what?" InuYasha said, confused. "I'm drawing a blank."

"Clearly," Kagome laughed. "Or else you'd be cursing yourself, complete with the whole 'ripping your hair out' scenario. I'll come with you, InuYasha. Someone's got to tell you about what happened back there, and hm, it may as well be me."

"We won't be long. We need to get back before lunch. I've scheduled a training session with Kotaro for 11:30 this morning. You all just hang tight. Do some reading. Practice some spells. Enjoy yourselves while we're gone," Negi told all the other girls.

"That's our cue," Mrs. Weasley's voice rang out. "Butterbeers all around!"

"Yay!" everyone cheered.

As Negi led them back down the lane to Ollivander's wand shop, Kagome briefed InuYasha on what he had done back in the bar.

"I did _WHAT_?!" he exclaimed after a minute of talking.

"Yup," Kagome laughed. "You acted all brotherly towards Ayaka, thinking she was Sesshomaru, and you called her 'Sesshy'!" At this, she doubled over in silent laugher. "I couldn't believe what I was hearing or seeing. And you called the Tetsusaiga a 'whatchamacallit.' Oh my God, it was hilarious."

"Ah, kill me now," he groaned, his hand on his forehead.

"No time for that now," Negi chortled, pulling open the door at last. "Ladies first."

"Oh, what a gentleman," Kagome said in a flattered tone and stepped through the door and bowed politely to the old shop owner, who was just emerging from behind his many shelves of wands of all sorts. "We've got a couple more live ones for you, sir."

When Ollivander saw Negi step through the door, he gasped. "I wondered when I'd get to see you, Mr. Springfield. And that splendid staff of yours. Ever since young Mr. Potter told me about you a short time ago, I've wanted to assess you with my own eyes."

Negi couldn't help but lose himself in Ollivander's never–blinking stare. He wished the man would blink already so he could blink and stop his eyes from burning. Before he could recover, the old man swooped down on him with impressive agility for one his age and took the staff from Negi's back. He ran his fingers along its length and stared intently at its woodwork. "Splendid! Absolutely amazing. Far beyond my field of experience. Its shape and composition is unlike anything I've ever seen before. And these wrappings, I assume they affect the magical output of the wand itself?"

"Wow. I never thought of that before. I thought the wrappings were just for appearances. You know, to make it look inconspicuous," Negi said in awe of the man's analytical skills.

"Oh no," Ollivander said slowly. "I daresay this wand dates back to the days of Merlin himself, or perhaps beyond. I must say I feel most privileged to be in the presence of such a –"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" InuYasha burst out. "Negi, need I remind you that we're on a tight schedule here? Now could you stop talking and hook us up here so we can get back already, old man?"

"Hmph! Listen, youngster. It's not really that simple. The wand chooses the wizard. This isn't like picking out a new pair of shoes. It's a trial and error process."

"He's right. Yeah," Kagome whispered in InuYasha's ear. It had taken almost a half hour to find the ideal wand for her.

"Well, let's get started," the man said, picking up a tape measure and walking up to Ayaka. "Ladies first. Now show me your wand–hand."

"Huh?" she said, confused.

"Right–, or left–handed," he said impatiently.

"Oh, right."

All of a sudden, the tape measure came to life and started measuring her all over while Ollivander himself climbed up a sliding ladder and began sifting through the hundreds of boxes of the high shelves.

"Here we are," he said at last, opening a box and pulling a wand out of it and handing it to her. "Hawthorn with dragon heartstring, 12 inches, nice and stiff. Take it and give it a wave."

Ayaka took the wand in her right hand, and holding it delicately, waved it through the air. Instantly, a whole shelf's worth of wand boxes cascaded off the shelf and piled up on the floor, their contents scattered everywhere. Ayaka was shocked and a little worried.

"Apparently not," Ollivander said with a surprisingly even voice.

"But, I just made a huge mess of things," Ayaka said in disbelief at his laid-back attitude. "And you're just dismissing it just like that?"

"Oh, don't worry, that always happens," he said matter–of–factly as he clambered up the ladder again.

"Perhaps this wand will be the one," he said after several minutes, handing her another. "Reed with unicorn hair core, 13 ½ inches, very flexible. If the wand lights up brightly, it's the right one for you."

The moment she took it, the air around her lit up with a rich, golden glow. "Wow," she couldn't help but say as her hair began to be blown upward by a brief, gentle updraft.

"Ha ha, excellent, excellent," Ollivander laughed. "One down one to go. Now you m' lad," he said, turning to InuYasha.

"By the way," he said curiously. "Why do you wear those ridiculous ears?" He reached up to pull InuYasha's ears off, but they wouldn't come off his head.

"Hey, hands off, ya old geezer!" InuYasha snapped, bearing his fangs. "For your information, they're real. Now can we get this over with already? It's almost my lunch time, and I'm starting to get a bit … hungry," he said with a very toothy grin.

Ollivander just clapped his hands together and said nervously, "Well, let's get right to it then."

As the tape measure worked its magic, measuring InuYasha's sword arm, among other things, Ollivander commandeered his sliding ladder once again and began searching the shelves.

After a few minutes of searching, Ollivander found something that surprised him so much he nearly fell off his ladder in surprise. When he recovered, he handed the wand to InuYasha with a trembling hand. "Elder with phoenix feather, 14 inches, springy," he said with a shaky voice.

"Hey, why are you so nervous?" InuYasha asked suspiciously as he took the wand in his right hand.

"Elder wands are incredibly rare, and unbelievably powerful," Ollivander told him. "There's only one other Elder wand in existence. They say that wands made of Elder wood reign supreme over all others."

"Hah! Well, I reign supreme over all other demons, so it's only natural that I have a wand like this," InuYasha laughed. "Let's see if it lives up to its reputation." He pointed it at Kagome and holding it very firmly, gave it a sharp flick.

Immediately, an intense wind engulfed Kagome, whipping all of her clothes off, leaving her in her bra and panties and very embarrassed and really mad. She was red in the face, and tears were welling up in her eyes.

"Safe to say, 'definitely not,'" Ollivander said in a not–so–surprised tone.

Negi and Ollivander both covered their eyes at once, but InuYasha was stunned. He couldn't look away even if he wanted to.

"Hey, nice choice of undies, Sister," Chamo cheered from Negi's shoulder. But he didn't get to say anymore, because Ayaka grabbed him and wrung him like a wet towel. When she dropped him on the floor again, he had a full–body Indian rug–burn.

"Uh, Ka…go…me," InuYasha stammered. "I'm so–"

"INUYASHA!!!" Kagome screamed, covering her body in humiliation.

InuYasha cringed and waited for the inevitable.

"SIT BOY!!!!! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! **SIT BOY!!!!!**"

InuYasha plunged into the ground at twice his usual force again and again until there was a ten foot wide, twenty foot deep crater in the center of the store. By the time he had mustered the strength to crawl out of the crater, Kagome had already covered herself with Negi's white cloak, and Ayaka was busy salvaging her clothes, and Ollivander had made himself busy by rummaging through the shelves again. Once Kagome's clothes were all recovered, she went behind the shelves to get dressed while InuYasha tried out his next wand, a Birch with a thestral hair core. This time, the golden glow engulfed InuYasha right down to his bare feet.

"Heh, all right!" InuYasha yelled. "I'm not sure what that was, but all of a sudden, I feel great!"

"Congratulations, both of you," Negi said cheerfully, clapping his hands together. "Now then, I'll just pay for these and we'll go. It's probably almost noon," he said, taking out his money bag and checking his watch. It was 11:25. If he didn't hurry, he wouldn't make his 11:30 training session. He gave Ollivander the money for the wands, plus some extra to cover the damages to the floor. "Looks like we'll have to ask Professor Slughorn to make you something to prevent a hangover, InuYasha."

"Whatever," the half–demon replied, still a little wobbly from the thirty sit–commands. "My head hurts all of a sudden."

As they walked back, Negi pulled back a bit to talk to Kagome. "Are you all right, Kagome?" he asked out of concern. "I admit that incident was a bit delicate, but did you have to make him 'Sit' thirty times? I mean, what did I tell you last night?!"

"I know, but when he pointed it at me, I got the idea that he expected somehow that to happen, or he was doing whatever it was to me on purpose," she whispered in his ear.

"Well, that's just silly," Negi replied. "I'm sure he had no idea that was going to happen. He probably meant to do something good, right?"

InuYasha's ear twitched. "Nah, I was just going for potluck." The real question was: Did he get the jackpot, or did he go bankrupt?

By the time they walked back in the door, everyone was already getting ready to leave. When Negi's asked what was going on, Kotaro knocked him on the head and told him that if they'd taken any longer, everyone would've left without them.

After everyone had said their goodbye–for–now's, Ron's parents had news for him. "We'll be coming to join you at Hogwarts soon, Ron," his father told him. "That seems to be the best place to be right now. Plus, we might be able to learn a few new tricks from this boy, Negi." With that, he and Molly stepped into the fireplace and returned to their home at the Burrow, and two by two, the friends went back to Hogwarts. This time, when Ron went first, he remembered to stand clear of the opening when he got back, just to be safe.

* * *

Another Elder Wand. Who knew? Oh well. It had to happen eventually. Elder is, after all, a part of the Celtic (Tree) Zodiac, and therefore, it is fair game.

Next time: Naruto and his friends arrive at Hogwarts at last, and we'll find out who hired them too, as well as who Tsunade referred to as someone Kakashi would remember. As for the release day ... hmmmmm ... let's say Sunday.

* * *

Also, I'm extending the vote one and only one time. The choices of stories to be integrated into this story are:

Vampire Hunter D

OR

Hellsing

There are six chapters before the next Special Chapter. The poll will remain open until then.

Later. PEACE!


	31. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: Nothing is owned. This is merely for non–profit, entertainment purposes ... and maybe a touch of sensationalism, because writing this story gives me a sensation unlike any I've ever felt. HA HA!

* * *

Hey hey hey! I'm back. Did you miss me? My family and I got caught in that huge blackout over the weekend. We just got power back the other day, and I've had a lot of catching up to do, both in writing and downloading anime. Today, I finally managed to download the entire Rave Master series in English Dub, so I just might add that to this story as well, and now I'm working on Sonic X. Awesome stuff! Anyway, it's good to be back, and it's time to revisit our ninja friends on their journey towards Hogwarts. When we last left them, they were being chased by Aragog the acromantula's children ... but first a look at Negi's training.

* * *

Surprise Visitors Always Make Surprise Entrances

It was about 11:55 that morning. Negi and Kotaro had just finished a training match outside the castle, halfway between the castle and the edge of the Dark Forest. They could've used Evangeline's resort to train for a whole day in just an hour, but this morning they felt like working out in the open air. The final exchange of blows was Negi's Raika Hoken versus Kotaro's Kuon Bakusai Ken, with Negi's attack getting the better, flooring the half-demon boy.

"That makes fifteen more punches landed for me," Negi said as he reached out to help his best friend to his feet. The boy genius was still recovering from getting pie–faced by Kagome the previous night (the other, _other_ kind of pie–face), so he was a little slow this morning. Normally, he'd have landed twice as many hits.

"Are you kidding?" Kotaro shot back as he sprang to his feet. "None of those shots were big ones!"

"You liar! The Lightning Flower Punch trumped your Dog Bark Explosive Fist! You just couldn't measure up."

"Oh yeah?" Kotaro barked back. "I'll show you who can't measure up. Take this!" He threw a punch at Negi's left cheek, but Negi was already moving, grabbing his arm and twisting it into a standard hammerlock and putting his right arm around the boy neck, making a double submission hold.

"That's sixteen more shots for me!" he teased, letting go.

"Well, I'll give you that, but don't relax on your laurels. You may have beaten that freakshow Rakan to a standstill, but I'll catch up to you one of these days," Kotaro admitted scratching his ear. "Well, I'm going inside. You comin' or what?"

"Just one more exercise," Negi said, turning around as Kotaro stepped back to watch.

"Well, be careful. I saw some of the tree moving, and the pulse is coming this way."

"Okay, I'll be careful where I aim. _Incipio confestim vis magica. __Ducenti undequadraginta spiritus lucis coeuntes sagittent inimicum. Sagitta Magica Series Lucis_!" 239 arrows shot from Negi's hand and zoomed toward the forest. Negi had set up an anti–magic barrier just beyond the first tree, so that the arrows wouldn't harm anyone or anything, and would just burst into a shower of sparks, like fireworks.

This time, however, was not the case.

* * *

Naruto was jumping from tree to tree at an incredible rate. He could see the light at the edge of the forest. "Ha ha, we're almost there!" he shouted.

"It's about time, too!" Sakura called ahead to him. "It's all your fault, Naruto!"

"My fault?" he retorted. "What did I do?"

"You led us into that spiders' den and got us chased clear out of the forest, you dunce! It's your fault we're even later than before! Effectively, we lost two whole hours because of you!"

"Sakura!" Kakashi said sharply. "It isn't anyone's fault. It isn't as though Naruto could prevent what happened."

"Yes," Neji agreed. "I am also to blame. I couldn't tell those spiders were in there, nor how many there were."

"What did Kakashi just say, Neji?" called Guy. "Don't blame yourself."

"Well," Naruto started. "I did squash a few big ones with my Rasengan, but that only seemed to make them angrier. Maybe you're right, Sakura. I guess I _am_ to blame, but they were trying to eat me, so what else could I do. I wasn't gonna go down to a bunch of fat, stupid, overgrown insects."

"You did what?" Kakashi yelled. _Good grief. That would anger anything. It's no wonder they chased us for so many miles._

"It's a good thing Shino isn't here to hear that," Shikamaru said under his breath. Their friend and comrade, Shino Aburame, was an insect tamer, and if he caught wind of someone insulting an insect, he would be pretty mad. _And you'd better not let Choji hear you say that "F" word__! You know how he gets when he hears it!  
_

* * *

Finally, Naruto burst out the other end of the trees. "OH YEAH! WE'RE HERE! Huh?" He had come out right in the path of hundreds of … whatever they were, Naruto didn't think he should let them hit him. He made a hand–sign. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" An identical Naruto appeared right beside him, grabbed the real one's arm, and flung him out of harm's way. No sooner had the clone been destroyed by the oncoming assault than Naruto plunged back into the trees. He fell to the ground heavily.

"Man, what was that?" he gasped as he scrambled to his feet. "Defensive positions! Take cover! We're under attack!" he breathed to his comrades.

Everyone dropped to his side and surrounded him in a large circle formation. "Naruto, are you okay?" Sakura breathed as the beams of light hit the invisible wall behind them and burst into dazzling white sparks.

"What was it?" Kakashi whispered through his mask.

"No idea," Naruto seethed, standing up and taking a defensive stance. "Was no jutsu I'm familiar with."

"That's no surprise," Shikamaru said under his breath. "You're not exactly the justu expert here." Naruto was far from the smartest ninja in their village. Rather, he was close to the opposite extreme.

"Neji! Hinata!" Lee whispered.

"Right!" they both said, and activated their Byakugan eyes and surveyed the area.

"There's two people coming this way. Children by the look of it," Hinata said in a low voice. "Do you think they attacked Naruto?"

"They're the only ones around, and everyone else is in that huge castle back there, which, I assume is our destination" Neji answered. "Better safe than sorry. Shikamaru!"

"Man, and we hadn't even arrived yet, and already we have to fight," pouted Shikamaru as he crouched down and made a hand–sign, preparing his Shadow Possession Jutsu. "What a drag all this is."

They waited, and finally, a boy in a black, sleeve-less shirt and plain black pants walked into the forest and looked around. "Hello? Is anyone out there? If you can hear me, please answer."

"Ninja Art! Shadow Possession Jutsu!" said a voice. A shadow crept along the ground and attached itself to the stranger's shadow. Immediately, he froze. Slowly, a teenaged boy with black hair stepped out of the brush, and for every step he took, the boy matched it.

"Gotcha," Shikamaru said cockily. As he straightened up, everyone else stepped out into the open. The boy's eyes opened wide. "Now, why did you attack us?" he asked the strange boy.

"Gracious, goodness me! I'm so sorry. I hope nobody's been hurt," the boy said in a relieved voice. "I didn't think my sagitta magica would hit anyone before hitting the barrier."

Naruto was pissed off to no ends. He was raving mad. "You almost took my head off, you little shrimp! What the Hell were you doing?" He was trying to get at the boy, but Sakura was holding him back, desperately.

"Wait, Naruto!" Sakura whispered in his ear. "What if this boy is Sasuke in disguise?"

"What?" Naruto gasped. Could this boy be Sasuke, his greatest rival? "Don't know. Think we should ask him the question, Sakura?"

"Let's," she answered. "Hey, answer us this: When does a ninja strike?" _If he remembers the answer from three years ago, it's got to be Sasuke_.

"Huh? I don't know what you're talking about. Still, I can't tell you how sorry I am. I was training and you suddenly came through the trees and … I'm just so sorry!" the boy kept saying, clearly upset about attacking someone before he even knew him, even if it was completely by accident.

Naruto finally calmed down. If this had been Sasuke, he would've known how to answer that question.

"Now, now my boy, it's all right," Kakashi said kindly as he lowered his weapon. "Shikamaru, let him go," he commanded, and Shikamaru released the jutsu. Kakashi walked over to the little boy and patted him on the head. "No need to be so upset; no harm done. We are ninja from the Village Hidden in the Leaves. I take it it was you who hired us."

"Huh? Ninjas? I don't remember hiring ninjas to help here," the boy said, totally lost, with a blank expression on his face. "I don't even know any ninjas besides Kaede."

"Kaede?" Kakashi echoed.

"Well, well, well," came a passive, yet teasing voice. "So you finally made it, Kakashi. I'm surprised it took you so long. You're slower than I remember."

Everyone looked around.

A tall girl with brown hair in a long, thin pony tail that went all the way down to her legs, relaxed yet squinty eyes and large breasts, dressed in a red, stylish gi stepped out from behind a tree and stood beside the boy. "I see you've met my adorable little Professor. Sorry about going behind your back, Negi, but I thought it would be beneficial for us to bring in a little help.

"And I believe your answer is," she said to Sakura with a calm smile. "A ninja waits until the time is right. When the enemy sleeps and drops his guard. When his weapons lie forgotten in the stillness of the night. That is the moment for a ninja to strike."

Sakura and Naruto both raised their weapons, now more suspicious than ever. "All right, how did you know that? That's the same phrase Sasuke taught us years ago!" Sakura yelled.

The girl slightly opened her squinted eyes a crack and smiled. "That 'phrase,' as you put it, is a poem, and it is very famous in the Ninja World. Every ninja worth their headband knows it," Kaede said simply. "What? Didn't he tell you that?" she joked as Sakura and Naruto blushed and lowered their weapons.

Kakashi's one visible eye widened two times over, and his heart skipped a beat. "K – K – K – Kaede Nagase?" he gasped. "It was you?"

"So tell me, Sensei. Do you still read that _Makeout Paradise_ junk? Ten years has it been?"

Everyone else looked at him. "What?" Guy asked him. "This is THE Kaede of whom you spoke so highly, Kakashi? How could this skinny girl be the ninja prodigy you spoke of? And why didn't you tell me she was _your_ student? You just told me she was someone you knew ten years ago."

"You don't get it, Guy," Kakashi said, sweating. "Kaede is from the Koga ninja clan. She's even stronger than me."

"Not possible, Kakashi," Guy scoffed in disbelief. "I'm your awesome, manly, eternal rival and I haven't met a woman yet who could match your strength. If there was a woman like that alive, don'tcha think I'd know it?"

"Is that so?" Kaede asked, but now the voice came from behind him. Before Guy could even react, he was slapped in the back of the head by a second Kaede. "Hm," she laughed. "So even the famous Might Guy can drop his guard like an amateur. The stories about you aren't all that accurate."

"What?" he exclaimed, staggering. "A shadow–clone. But she never made a single hand-sign. I couldn't sense her at all. I didn't even sense her chakra."

"Exactly, Guy," Kakashi continued. "The Koga ninja clan can perform powerful jutsu without as much as a single hand–sign!"

"What?" Naruto yelled. "How is that even possible?"

"They found a way, Naruto. They found a way. Added to it, their shadow–copies surpass even yours, not in number, but in solidness. Even if you strike them, they don't disappear until the ninja wishes it."

"And another thing, Kakashi–Sensei … have you really been reading that same book for over _ten years_? Were you that much of a perv ten years ago?"

"And another thing," Kaede continued. "Did you hear about the Lost Volume of the _Makeout_ series: Volume 4, "_Makeout Disaster_?"

"W – w – wh – wh – wha – what?" Kakashi stuttered. "There was another volume? A volume even _I_ never heard about?"

"That's right!" said another voice, and a snow-white ermine poked its head out of Kaede's hair. "The name's Albert Chamomile, but please call me 'Chamo.' Old Man Jiraiya knew his time was near, so he entrusted the manuscript to me without telling anyone. I met him about seven months ago during my travels to find my Big Brother Negi here, right after I'd escaping from prison. He really knew how to peep on women in the bath. Even taught me a good camouflage technique, which I've aptly named 'Chamo–flage'."

"Oh, so that's where you learned that, Chamo," Negi commented. "Diabolical."

"And how dare you strike Guy–Sensei, the greatest man and most amazing mentor in the entire world?" Lee said in Guy's defense, fire in his eyes. "Besides, hits to the back at the hands of a woman are a man's greatest shame!"

Kaede giggled. "Then you two had better watch your backs, or else Sessha might just catch you off guard once again, just for fun."

"Wow! You go girl!" Sakura complemented with a thumbs-up, which Kaede returned. _Cha! That's showin' 'em! Girl's got skills! Score one for kunoichi everywhere! I gotta get some training from her_.

Negi was still recovering from the surprise. "Well, Kaede. If you hired them, I'll trust your judgment." He turned to their visitors and bowed in welcome. "Welcome, everyone, to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'm sure you've come a long way. We were about to go inside for lunch. Why don't I show you to your quarters before we eat?" he offered, and Negi led them to the hotel.

As they walked toward the large building, Kakashi spoke with Kaede. "You're as sharp as ever, I see. I wonder if even my Sharingan could keep up with you now. But what did you mean when you said we'd met your 'Professor'?"

"Just what I said, Kakashi. You really do think about things a little too much, but then again, I guess that's why you're still alive," Kaede laughed. "Professor Springfield is truly a man among men, and he's only ten years old. And he quite the little –" and she whispered something into Kakashi's ear. His silver–white hair stood up even higher than usual. "You could really stand to learn something from him."

"Hey, Kakashi! What's got your panties in a bunch?" Guy called over his shoulder. "This ain't like you, the cool, calm and collected shinobi I've always known."

"What's that? Did you say something, Guy? Were you talking to me?" Kakashi managed to say as he caught up with his rival. _Who'd have thought a ten_–_year_–_old boy would beat me both as a man and as a teacher?_ he thought sadly.

It was already noon, and the ninjas had less than seven hours to memorize the layout of the campus and the castle before the students arrived that evening. _Heh heh. Kakashi's gonna have to get his head in the game_, Kaede thought half–heartedly. _The man who was my first teacher sure has changed over the last ten years_.

* * *

Sorry it took so long to update. It took me a long time to track down the Latin cardinal number for 239, and yes, I double– and triple–checked, and 239 is a prime number, so it's fair game for a Sagitta Magica incantation, and Negi has come a long way since casting 199 at once, so I thought it was time for me to up the ante a little bit. Incidentally, 239 is the number of my dorm room at school, so i guess that had a part to play in my choosing it as that magic number. Get it? Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed it.

Hope you liked Kakashi's reactions to Kaede and Chamo. The Lost Volume of the Makeout Series was my own idea, and it will play a part in Kakashi's role in the coming year.

* * *

The next string of Chapters will be rather short, but I'll release them in intervals of two days, just in case. I could release them in intervals of one day, but that would leave me with little time to write new material.

See you on Saturday.


	32. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to the Grominator. Damn! This is getting tiring, coming up with new disclaimers every time. I probably don't even have to unless I'm bringing in a new series, but I just want to be safe. Heh.

* * *

This chapter, and a few after it, will be nothing but filler content, mostly meant to buy time for me to start writing new material, time for which has been of surprisingly short supply lately.

* * *

Mingling Before the Students Arrive

"So why didn't you tell us about her, Sensei?" Sakura asked Kakashi as they walked into the castle. They had already deposited their belongings in their rooms in the hotel building and were heading into the Great Hall for lunch. "I thought every one of the students who tried out with you was cut from the program because they couldn't understand the importance of teamwork."

"Well, I lied," Kakashi said flatly. "And I asked the Hokage to commit to that lie. To be honest, I was ashamed. Kaede had surpassed me, a jonin, at the age of 6. I just didn't want people to know that I'd lost out to a girl so much younger than me at the time. I was just a little younger than you are now when I trained Kaede, and it was one–on–one lessons, so she gained her skills that much faster. Remember when I told you guys three years ago that there are kids in this world that are younger than you and yet, stronger than me? Well, that's a lesson I learned many years ago."

Guy and Lee seemed to be as energetic as ever. They both raced into the huge room, not even stopping to admire the magnificence of the architecture of the 1000+–year old castle, or the huge, enchanted ceiling that seemed to mimic the sky outside. They wanted to finish their lunch quickly and get to their training, as usual. Kakashi, being the laid–back type, still couldn't understand their constant haste to get things done, even though he'd known Guy for years.

Naruto, however, was shocked to see the ceiling's sky-like appearance the same as he'd just left it when they came inside. "This is one amazing place," he thought out–loud.

"Come on, Lee!" Guy said in his zealous voice, drawing everyone's attention. "Let's eat quick and start our training. First assignment: 300 laps around the school grounds with a one hour time–limit!"

"We'll finish it in a half–hour, Sensei!" Lee responded in an equally fanatical tone. "There is so much more to do before tonight!"

"That's true," Negi said with a smile as he joined them. "The students will arrive tonight, and we're having a big feast. Be sure to be on your best behavior tonight, okay?"

"Hey! Who are you to tell us to behave ourselves?!" Lee retorted with gusto. "You are only a boy, and we are your seniors! We should be telling you stuff like that."

"Apparently, Lee," Kakashi said as he finally sat down. "Despite his young age, this child is a teacher here, and one of his students hired us, which apparently makes him our superior. At a school, its teachers are the law. But I shouldn't have to tell you that. Right, Guy?" he finished teasingly.

"WHAT?!" Guy gasped. "How could –? I mean –! What the –?!" _Why does Kakashi have to act so damn cool at a time like this?!_ Guy was always trying to be cooler than Kakashi, but unbeknownst to Guy, overenthusiastic people were often seen as weird or just plain silly.

"Well, he's right," Negi informed them warmly. "I'll be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts this year. Of course, you are all welcome to train under me as well. Everyone willing to learn is welcome in my classroom. Magic has been known to, when used properly, enhance one's physical abilities and much, much more. If you like, I can demonstrate for you later."

"I would like to see that," Lee challenged him, now interested and all fired up. "I am ready!" He was about to dash out of the Hall, but Guy stopped him by reminding him that a splendid ninja always eats his fill before he trains his hardest.

"A shinobi needs his energy to succeed, Lee," he declared with his trademark thumbs-up and flashy grin.

"I understand, Sensei," Lee said loudly with a salute. "What _was_ I thinking?" And started eating faster than ever. In ten minutes, he and Guy were both running laps around the grounds as fast as their legs would let them. But however fast they ran, neither of them could outrun their hiccups.

"Boy, those guys really need to learn to use inside voices, huh?" Negi said with a small laugh. "Not to mention patience and moderation."

"I've asked myself that question many times," Neji sighed as he settled into a seat. "Lee and Guy-Sensei need to learn to relax is what they really need. They should get a life outside their training," he added, and he and Negi laughed.

"Oh, ha ha. Very funny!" InuYasha said as he joined them. "I could hear them all the way from outside." He slammed his goblet onto the table, hard. Water spilled everywhere.

"Rough as always, InuYasha," Kagome said in a tired voice. She pulled her wand out of her uniform. That morning, she, her friends, InuYasha included, and some of Negi's students had gone to Diagon Alley, the largest wizard shopping center in Britain, helped themselves to a small bit of Negi's large fortune left to him by his father in Vault #715 at Gringotts Bank (with Negi's permission, of course), and bought all their magic school supplies, except for robes; they felt much more comfortable in their school uniforms from Japan, and the staff was willing to make an exception for them out of respect for Negi and out of fear of InuYasha. She pointed it at the spill and said, "_Tergeo_." The wand seemed to suck up the water in an instant.

"Good, Kagome," Negi said happily. "You've already gotten the hang of using basic magic in a really short time. Congrats."

"Thanks," Kagome said with a cute giggle. She had surprised even herself. Normally, she wasn't very studious at all, but ever since learning about magic, she could barely restrain herself.

"You're soaking this up like a sponge, Kagome. Would you like to be my TA for the year?"

"Oh! May I?" she said excitedly. "I'd love to."

"Sure." Negi answered cheerfully. "I'd love some help with my lessons. Even though I'm qualified as a teacher, it would be nice to have a little help around in case we need to do something important. Actually, I may have a couple more TA's with me, but don't worry. No one will be left out.

"Besides," he said, blushing. "I don't think the students will accept me very easily as a teacher. It might be worthwhile to have a few other authority figures in class in case they don't want to approach me. They might be more comfortable if someone a little older than me is there as well."

It didn't take long for Kagome to make up her mind. "Well, Negi," she said at last. "I'd be happy to help you in class this year." She twirled the wand between her fingers and dropped it, and fell right into her top. "Whoopsie–kadabra. Clumsy me. InuYasha, I seem to have dropped my wand down my cleavage. Would you get it for me?" she asked sweetly.

SNERRRRRT!

InuYasha was so surprised, a spout of water jetted out of his nose and went all over Kagome's face. "What?!" he spluttered.

"Nice one, girlfriend!" Haruna called from a nearby table between fits of laughter.

Even Sakura and Hinata were giggling from where they sat further down the table. "Man, that girl is bold. And I'm not just talking about the mini–skirt," Sakura whispered to her friend.

Hinata smiled meekly. Her eyes kept turning to Naruto, who had been talking up the Library trio (Yue, Haruna and Nodoka), telling them how he had saved Kakashi's life from Zabuza Momochi when their groups clashed three years ago. Even though she loved Naruto very much, she was too shy to come out and say it.

* * *

"So he had Kakashi–Sensei trapped in a Water Prison, completely unable to move, and a Water Clone poised to kill us all, giant sword and everything," Naruto was telling them.

"Wait a minute," Yue interrupted him. "We're not talking about ordinary water here, are we?"

"Yup," Naruto grinned pompously. "Ordinary water, but as solid as steel … in terms of the prison anyway. As for the clone, as solid as a real body can get. Anyway, while he fought all of my Shadow Clones, I turned into a big shuriken. Did I mention ninjas can transform?"

"No, did not," Haruna answered him flatly. "And it's kind of hard to believe." She blinked once, only to find herself staring at … herself. "Whoa."

The other her just leaned forward and softly poked her in the nose as she spoke, "Can … too." And with a puff of smoke, Naruto was back to his old self.

"That was … me," Haruna said in disbelief.

"Yup, although I tried to make it a little curvier on top. Pretty good, uh? Now, where was I? Ah, right. So one of my spare clones grabbed it and threw it to my partner, who pulled out his own, and …"

* * *

Naruto's words got Sakura's attention. _Partner …_ she thought. _He can't bring himself to speak Sasuke's name. Is it out of unconscious resentment, or does he just want to avoid telling people about him? Still though, I think it's good that Naruto isn't afraid to talk about the old days … back when Sasuke was with us._

* * *

"So wait," Yue interjected, still sipping her juice box, which said _Tapioca Juice_ near the top. She was always finding weirder and weirder drinks, and for some reason, liked them. "Now, there were two weapons, you said?"

"That's right," said Naruto excitedly. "One was real, and the other was _ME_! The two shuriken passed up the clone and headed for his real body. The second one, me, was hiding in the shadow of the first, so he didn't see me coming. Zabuza managed to catch the first and dodge the second, but as soon as he thought he was safe, _BOOM_! I released the transformation and fired one of these babies at his face," he laughed, pulling out a kunai knife. "He had no choice but to release his hold on the Water Prison. After that, Kakashi–Sensei took him down. Used his own jutsu against him. I couldn't believe it had worked. I had outsmarted a guy who was a genius at the Art of Killing! Ha ha ha ha ha!"

* * *

Kagome, however, wasn't listening or laughing. She looked ready to rip InuYasha's head clean off his shoulders. But then she remembered her conversation with Negi the night before, and what she had done to InuYasha that morning. No less than 30 sit commands had been used to afflict InuYasha in less than an hour. Most of them in one sitting. _That was enough for one day_, she figured.

InuYasha looked really scared. Typically when this happened, he would be in for at least ten consecutive "sit" commands. Then, came the biggest surprise of all.

Kagome took a deep breath and relaxed. She reached for a napkin and wiped her face dry. She didn't say a word.

InuYasha was shocked. "Aren't you gonna tell me to sit, Kagome?" he asked, leaning toward her to feel her head. "Are you feeling alright?"

Kagome only smiled. "Sure, why? Is something wrong, InuYasha?" This only scared InuYasha more. Usually when Kagome smiled after he did something bad, that meant he was in BIG trouble, but little did he know that Kagome was simply putting into action what Negi had advised her.

Negi smiled and winked at her. _This girl is determined, indeed_, he thought. _But why did that wooing method seem so familiar?_ In fact, one of Negi's students had tried to seduce him that same way a few months earlier, but that time it had been with a bottle–opener. Negi had been so caught up in recent events, he had completely forgotten.

"Okay, now I'm lost," Kakashi said calmly. "Was something supposed to happen just now?"

"Well," Negi started. "When Kagome –"

"Shut up, if you know what's good for ya!" barked InuYasha and flashed his claws and bore his fangs. Negi fell silent immediately. InuYasha didn't need more people knowing about his secret with Kagome than necessary, and the fewer the better in his opinion.

"By the way … Negi, was it?" Kakashi said, turning to Negi, seeing that this conversation wasn't going to go anywhere.

"Yes?" Negi asked.

"If you're a teacher here, why aren't you eating with the other teachers?"

"Oh. I like to get to know my students as well as I can," Negi answered honestly. "After all, if we'll be working together over the course of the year, whether I'm learning from you or you from me, I should get to know everyone as best I can."

"Mm–hmm," Kakashi agreed. "Very insightful." _This boy is a true teacher. He wants to know everyone, if that's even possible for a child like him. This one is a true prodigy in every sense of the word_, he concluded. Perhaps he really could learn a thing or two from Negi about being a "good teacher." _One truly never stops learning_.

* * *

Spell Translations:

Tergeo - to wipe dry; to rub off; etc.

* * *

Notice: Okay. So over my Spring Break, I was watching all the episodes of Blood+ that I downloaded and started to get some ideas. I think I could really set up some serious connections between Blood+ and all these guys, and I think Saya could really learn some things from Negi about relying on one's. I'd like to set up another poll, separate from the Hellsing vs. Vampire Hunter D poll.

Should I add Blood+?

Yes or No

Just tell me your answer in a review if you can. Even if it's just one or two words (with or without the answer), I'll appreciate it. Once again, anonymous reviews are not only allowed, but welcome.

P.S. - I might just add it either way, but I thought I'd find out what you guys thought first. I might not decide to add either VHD or Hellsing in the end, but I still want to have at least one anime with vampires or vampire-like creatures involved in my story.

Keep an eye out for my next update in two - three days.


	33. Chapter 26: Ron Meets His Match

Disclaimer: You know what? I'm gettin' real tired of doing this. Yeah, gettin' really tired ... so from now on, I'm not going to do anymore unless I add new people to the story. And that won't be happening for a while.

* * *

Ron Meets His Match

It was nearly an hour before the students would arrive, and the final preparations were being made. While the teachers bustled about, the 100 elves were hard at work in the kitchen making a feast for the entire student body. Every meal was buffet–style at Hogwarts. When the Headmaster or Headmistress announces the start of the meal, the food appears on the tables and you just take what you want and eat what you want.

The tables were all cleared except for a small crowd of people around a chess game in the center of the Great Hall. Harry and Ron were playing one last game of Wizard's Chess. The opponents gave the pieces their commands, and the pieces moved on their own. Ron had been the one to teach Harry to play Wizard's Chess in their first year and today, once again, Harry was losing badly.

"I've only got six pieces left, including the king," Harry said in despair. "I don't see a way out of this."

"But I do."

Harry looked up. Shikamaru walked up to them, still sporting his green Chunin's vest, and looked at the positioning of the pieces. "Yeah, there's definitely an opening for you to win here, Mr. Potter."

"What? No there isn't. Really?" Ron said skeptically.

"Well, I still say there is," Shikamaru said lazily. "Feel like proving me wrong?"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"Let me take over for you with the pieces as they are," the ninja answered. "I'll win in less than fifteen moves."

"You can try," Ron said cockily.

So Harry stood aside and Shikamaru sat down, but before making a move, he closed his eyes and assumed an odd position, making a strange sign with his hands. _When I look at it, it's just like playing Shogi with Asuma. Okay, I've got two pawns, one knight, one rook, and one bishop left, and then there's the king, which is made to be protected, not meant to see combat. This isn't going to be a cake_–_walk. I'd better plan some ten extra moves just in case he ends up being smarter than Asuma was._ Whenever Shikamaru played a board game with his former Sensei, Asuma Sarutobi, he had never lost a match, leading his teacher to give him an IQ test which, when completed, yielded a result of over 200. Abnormally high for such a slacker.

"What's he doing?" said Ron impatiently.

"It's a habit of his," said Choji from the sidelines. He was Shikamaru's best friend, and knew him better than anyone.

Choji always had a bag of Potato Chips in his hand, since his techniques used so much energy, he needed to eat constantly. Because of this, of course, Choji was on the large side, but he always snapped at anyone who said the word "fat" in his presence.

"Whenever Shikamaru takes that pose, he's formulating a strategy. He's a genius. No one has ever beaten him at any strategy game."

Two short minutes later, Shikamaru opened his eyes and said, "Okay. Time to go to work."

* * *

Harry couldn't believe it. In just five moves, Shikamaru had leveled the playing field and more than halved Ron's remaining army of pieces, and was now working on luring the Queen into a trap. But no matter how tense things got on the chessboard, Shikamaru never took his eyes off Ron, who seemed to find it a bit unsettling. It didn't seem as though the young man didn't trust Harry's best friend. More like he was psyching him out or something. _Just how smart is this guy? He just picked up the game and he's beating Ron. It's amazing. Almost genius._

With one sneaky move, Shikamaru took Ron's last rook with his last pawn. He had succeeded in keeping Ron's attention focused on his bishop, and when the rook was in position to take it, he sprang his pawn on it before Ron could anticipate the move.

"Bloody Hell!" Ron exclaimed. He hadn't seen that move coming, both figuratively and literally. "How did you do that?" _I can't believe I didn't see his pawn until it was too late._

Shikamaru just smirked. "Deception and stealth are two of the most basic skills a ninja must master, both on and off the battlefield." _And the ability to predict the moves of an opponent with an inferior mind and a somewhat lacking attention span never hurts either._ _All right, with the way I have things set up, if things go according to plan … he'll take my pawn with his queen._

Ron saw his opening. "Queen to E5," he commanded. His queen moved forward and took down the pawn and threw him off the board. "You could have taken my queen, but you took a rook instead," Ron observed with a grin. "Man, are you an amateur or what?" Up until this point, Ron had thought that he had caught onto Shikamaru's plan and was maneuvering his queen around his king like a force–field without losing an opportunity to take a piece, and then get back into position, but it was about to cost him dearly.

Shikamaru only smiled. "Knight to E5."

"Oh no!" Ron gasped. In his haste to protect his king, Ron had completely overlooked the fact that his queen was now within range of his opponent's knight. The was the reverse of the move he used against Harry in their first game, but now he, Ron, was on the receiving end.

"Now for the king," Shikamaru said with a mocking grin.

"Ron, you idiot," Hermione groaned from where she was leaning over Ron's shoulder.

Harry shook his head and turned to watch Kagome, was sitting at the Head Table with InuYasha, teaching him proper table manners, which he apparently had to learn if he wanted to set a good example. Harry couldn't help but be impressed with her patience with him, considering his roughness with both his verbal and physical behavior.

InuYasha was finally getting the hang of the knife and fork when Kazumi burst into the Great Hall. Harry watched as she rushed right toward Setsuna, who was talking to Asuna at another table and whispered something in her ear. Harry didn't have to wonder what it was about for long, however.

* * *

We're almost done with the filler content. Just one more chapter before the Sorting.

Also, I'd like to thank Slayer for the vote of confidence in adding Blood+ to the story. I really think the Hogwarts environment will do Saya and Hagi some good. There's only one problem: time discrepancies, but I'll figure something out.

In the meantime, keep casting votes, please. I want to know what _everyone_ thinks!

Next update in two days, a little comedy situation involving Miroku, Konoka and Sango. Let your minds wander until then.


	34. Chapter 27: Miroku Makes a Big Mistake

Hope you all like this chapter. I put a bit of work ... and a whole lot of thinking into it, but I was also able to get a little sadistic in this one with Miroku.

* * *

Miroku Makes a Big Mistake

Harry's eyes were on Setsuna as her eyes opened wide when Asakura whispered something in her ear, and nothing could have prepared him for what he was about to hear.

"HE DID WHAAAAAAAAT?" Setsuna screamed, her voice echoing several times all over the room. Every eye in the Great Hall turned towards her, but she paid them no mind. "That lecherous, two–timing scoundrel of a monk! How dare that scum act that way towards Miss Konoka? I'll kill him!" she yelled as she stormed out of the room, her sword already unsheathed, Asuna not far behind.

Even after she had gone, everyone could still hear Setsuna's enraged voice shouting, "If he lays one finger on her, I'll chop off his manhood with my bare hands and mount it on my mantle like a trophy! And that's if I don't _feed_ it to him first!"

"Man, that girl could blow holes in even my dad's eardrums with a voice like that," Shikamaru said, rubbing his ears as he turned back to the game.

Harry nodded in wordless agreement. Setsuna's scream was even louder than a Howler, a letter that literally shrieks its message at the recipient. He left the table and quickly strode over to Kazumi. "What just happened?"

"It looks like that monk Miroku tried to hit on Konoka, even asking her to have his children or something along those lines," Kazumi said angrily. "I thought Setsuna deserved to know. You see, normally, I wouldn't be so pissed about this. Actually, I'd be kind of excited about a scoop like this." Kazumi Asakura was a premier member of the Journalism Club at Mahora Academy, and a proud member (and the secret weapon) of the Mahora Paparazzi Storm Squad.

"Oh. So that's it then?"

The two turned around, and there was Sango. Her entire body was practically burning, her eyes filled with silent rage. Without saying another word, not looking at anyone, she walked slowly away, her Hiraikotsu slung over her shoulder, looking ready to kill the next person who spoke to her.

_She's scarier than Voldemort_, Harry thought as he turned back towards Ron's game, a big sweat-drop forming on his head. _Note to self: don't make that woman angry. It might be the last thing I ever do._

* * *

Setsuna and Asuna swept through the hallway searching for Miroku and Konoka. Neither of them was about to allow Konoka to lose her virginity to some dirty, sleazy sad–excuse–for–a–monk.

Setsuna was still beside herself. "That bastard. No one tries to hit on MY girl!"

Asuna stopped and said, "Don't you mean, 'No one tries to hit on Konoka'?"

"I know what I said, Asuna!" Setsuna shot back, not even bothering to stop. _Ooooohhhh, that pervert had better not have done anything to Miss Konoka. I can't believe I ever thought he was a gentleman. He's going to rue the day he messed with Miss Konoka. She's mine, and I won't let anyone take her from me._

_I've never seen Setsuna like this_, Asuna thought. _Boy, did I sure miss a lot?!_ For the longest time, when everyone was back in the mages' Home World, Asuna had been captured by the enemy and replaced with an imposter. It had been a perfect replication, so it took Negi and the others a long time to notice something had been wrong. In fact, they had to be told of it before anyone even gave it a single thought. Asuna never thought she'd be more thankful for the fact that Negi was a genius, but at the same time, she had still been pretty pissed off at Negi for taking so long to realize that she wasn't her real self.

They were just rounding another corner when they saw Konoka and Miroku in one of the empty classrooms across a long hallway. Despite the distance, Setsuna could plainly see the intention in the monk's eyes. Before Asuna could even think of stopping her, she started walking forward. First slowly, then faster and faster and faster. Neither Konoka nor Miroku heard nor saw them approach.

"I just don't know about this, Mr. Miroku," Konoka was saying worriedly. "I mean, you're handsome, but bearing someone's child at my age? What would Asuna say? What would _Setsuna_ say?"

"Now, now," Miroku coaxed her, gently placing his fingertip on her lips. "I'm sure they wouldn't mind." _It's Sango I'm worried about._

"Wouldn't we?" Setsuna and Asuna said at the same time, just loud enough for them to hear.

"Mind telling me what you're doing in here, huh monk?" That was everyone's clue that Sango had arrived. She had heard everything, but no one had heard her approach. They had been too focused on what was happening to even notice her presence prior to her speaking.

"Eep!" Miroku squeaked, beginning to go blue in the face.

"Ah! Sango! Asuna! Setsuna!" Konoka squealed. "I swear this isn't what it looks like!"

"Don't worry, Miss Konoka," Setsuna said through tightly gritted teeth in a quiet, barely–restrained voice, her eyes completely shadowed–over. "_You_ are not at fault here."

"That's right," agreed Sango sternly. "That monk is the one to blame here."

"I agree," Asuna finished, transforming her pactio card into a monster sword, easily as big and long as the Tetsusaiga, and just as menacing.

_And me,_ Setsuna thought. _For not being here to prevent this in the first place._

"I think I'm in trouble," Miroku said to himself just as they reached him.

* * *

The four friends arrived back at the Great Hall a half–hour later. Miroku's face was battered and bloodied; he looked terrible. By now, the word had been spread about his shenanigans during the time they were gone, and all of the women in the room were shooting him looks of contempt. The guys looked sickened, and gave him bad looks too, although Chamo strangely gave him a half–smile that said, "Better luck next time, bub." Clearly, perversion was generally frowned upon here. Professor McGonagall was very cross with him.

"Let this be a lesson to you, Sir Monk," she said sternly, eying him suspiciously. "Remember that this is a school. If I hear that you've been at this again, I will not hesitate to have you arrested and imprisoned."

"Y – y – y – yes ma'am," Miroku whimpered. He knew right then and there that he'd better clean up his act if he didn't want to be killed, because there seemed to be several people present who would do that.

* * *

I hope you liked my depiction of Setsuna's feelings for Konoka, because anyone with half–an–attention span can tell there's something ... _special_ between them. Their pactio from the Magic World is proof of that.

That's it for filler content ... for now. Seriously though, classes will start soon, so expect things to slow down a bit after the next several chapters. Three days 'till next update.

Warning: All drama lovers, the next chapter will have quite a bit of dramatic content when the sorting is over and Negi and McGonagall give their speeches.

And keep the hits and reviews coming. I want to know what you people think of this stuff.

Also, to anyone whom it may concern, I've seen spoilers on Onemanga for the next chapter next week, and it seems Fate will make a huge revelation. And we will find out Shiori's real name, too. Those writing Negima fics, take heed, for this chapter will impact the status and future of our fics, as well as whether or not we'll be able to continue without having to restart them.


	35. Chapter 28

**Edited for some severe, grievous errors: 9/26/2012**

* * *

The Sorting and Some Words of Wisdom

Professor McGonagall looked out the window and saw a jet of red sparks erupt just beyond the forest. "The students are here," she said at once. "To your seats everyone. Negi and InuYasha, you're at the Head Table with us, Edward and Alphonse, you too. The rest of you, the ends of the House Tables. The returning students will be here in five minutes, and Hagrid will arrive shortly after with the first–years. Filius, please get ready to meet the first–years in the entrance hall."

The diminutive teacher hurried out of the room to await Hagrid's arrival. It was the school tradition to have the returning students arrive first. While they were whisked to the castle on carriages drawn by creatures known as thestrals – black, skeletal, winged horses that were invisible to all except those who have seen someone die, Hagrid brought the first years across the big lake in small boats. That way, the first years would get there after their older classmates.

Everyone had tried to put on the best clothes they had. Negi had put on his best suit and wore his finest white cloak over it. He joined the teachers at the Head Table, taking a seat next to Professor Takahata, who had joined on as the new Muggle Studies teacher, one of which Hogwarts had lacked for several years, for whatever reason. Kagome and all of Negi's students had put on their most formal clothing, except for Eva, who donned her favorite black Gothic Lolita outfit – she kind of looked like a dress–up doll. Kagome had tried to convince InuYasha to change out of his cloak of the fire rat and into something fancier, but he refused to take off his father's heirloom cloak or put away the Tetsusaiga. "If those kids are afraid, that's their problem," he had said. Sango had on her most beautiful kimono and it looked like Miroku had borrowed and size–modified one of Negi's tuxedoes. There was nothing Alphonse could do, being a suit of armor. Ed just wore his black outfit and red coat; it was the most formal attire he owned, and it was the wardrobe he felt attached to the most. Koga and Ayame wore just their armor and fur like usual; wolf demons didn't care much for formalities, at least not formalities that involved mourning the death of a comrade.

They had barely taken their places when the big doors opened and the older students walked in and took their seats at their House Tables. Many of them looked around the Head Table and noticed all the unfamiliar faces. They wondered what a kid, a hulking suit of armor and a teenager were doing sitting with the teachers, and why so many foreign people were already there, not to mention why some of them were wearing such strange attire.

Ten minutes later the doors opened again and Professor Flitwick walked in, leading a long line of young boys and girls, no older than Negi himself. A stool and an old witch's hat were waiting in front of the Head Table. The hat was meant for sorting the students into their houses – put it on, and it scans your mind and shouts out the house that suits you the most. There was a rip in the hat that resembled a mouth, it was through that mouth that it made itself heard. Being sorted was as simple as putting on a hat, because it was just that! He took out a roll of parchment and started calling names in alphabetical order. As every student was sorted, Negi and the rest of the teachers watched and applauded as each student's house was selected by the magical hat, and the students ran to join their new families.

Harry felt nostalgic as he watched the rookies go up one by one. If only he could start over without all the responsibilities associated with "taking down the Dark Lord." Every adult wishes to be young again at some point in time, and this was Harry's. But no one always got what they wanted, and Harry had an even bigger responsibility now: to work together with his friends, both old and new, to defeat a universal threat. _This is gonna be quite a year._

* * *

When the sorting was finally done, little Professor Flitwick lifted the stool and hat over his head and marched them away as Professor McGonagall rose to address the students before the start–of–term feast.

"Welcome students old and new," she started in a booming voice, "to another year at Hogwarts. There is much to be said, but there is always time for that later. First and foremost, before we dig into our excellent feast, I am pleased to announce that Hogwarts shall be home to not only all of you, but to some special guests as well. Let us give a kind welcome to Professor Takahata –

"Did I say that right?" she whispered to Takamichi, who sat at her left. He smiled and gave her the thumbs–up.

"– who shall be teaching Muggle Studies this year," she continued.

Takahata stood up and gave a pleasant wave and nodded in greeting to the students, who responded with thunderous applause.

"As well as our newest Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and the youngest teacher Hogwarts has ever seen, Professor Negi Springfield," she continued. "Accompanied by their lovely young students from Mahora Academy in Japan."

Takahata motioned to Negi to stand up, which he did, only to be met with indistinct whispers among the students old and new. Negi knew all to well what they must have been thinking. _They must think it's outrageous to have a child as their teacher_, he thought pensively.

"Now I assure you, while it is unusual, appointing a child to teach, Professor Springfield is –"

"No, Professor," Negi said softly. "Let me speak to them." And before McGonagall could stop him, he leaped high in the air, whipped his staff off his back, and with a big WHOOSH of wind, there he hung, suspended in midair, the staff held near–vertically at his side, one foot planted on the jagged end.

"Ahem," he cleared his throat, at which point silence fell. Even the Slytherins held their tongues. "I understand your feelings, and know all too well what you must be thinking. Believe me, my students here thought the same thing when I started with them, but they quickly grew to accept me as their teacher, as, I'm sure, will you. Perhaps this will demonstrate me abilities magic–wise to you." He snapped his fingers once, conjuring a floating magical projector out of thin air. Everyone, teachers included, was in awe at this spectacle and applauded the boy's talent. "Actually, that wasn't what I meant," he said with a cheerful laugh. "Chachamaru, the disc, please."

Chachamaru stood up and activated the rocket boosters in her back and feet, rising up to where Negi floated. She reached into the folds of her maid uniform and withdrew a single compact disc, placing it in Negi's hand. "Here you are, Professor."

"Thank you, you may be seated," Negi thanked her as she returned to her seat at the Ravenclaw table, sparks noticeably flying from the rockets on her back. "This is a 30–second montage of scenes from my performance in the finals of a grand Magical Gladiator tournament known as the 'Nagi Springfield Cup,' named after my father. For reasons that will remain confidential, I was forced to compete under an assumed name and an altered appearance, but I assure you, the young man you see fighting in this video _is_ me," he said as he inserted the CD and turned the projector around to point it at the wall. With a wave of his hand, the candles lighting the Great Hall were instantly dimmed.

The video only lasted moments, but when the lights were relit, everyone's eyes, teachers included, were exploding out of their sockets. Finally, all of the students started talking at once.

"Did you see that standoff?"

"Did you see the size of his opponent? Holy muscle! Not an once of fat on that guy. Not one!"

"That beat down was like human Quidditch!"

"And every time he struck, there was a flash, just like lightning."

"And that huge spear of light!"

"And that fake–out."

"He sucked up that huge beam like it was nothing!"

"Don't forget all those huge explosions!"

"And that slugfest at the end! They were both smiling and laughing while they sucker punched each other!" The whispers went on and on for several minutes.

Even the teachers, with all of their experience, were appalled at what they had seen. "Do you see now?" Flitwick blurted out. "This is the power of one who masters the power of Dark Magic. And yet he's still so kind–hearted and gentle; you almost wouldn't believe he could do such a thing."

"No, Filius," McGonagall said, still a little wide–eyed from what they had all just witnessed. "It's not just the magic. It's his fighting ability. Absolutely absurd! Such capabilities in someone so young."

"Professor Springfield?" Professor Sprout said, looking up at Negi. "Was that –?"

"Yes, Professor," he stopped her. "It was all real. Even though I was bleeding from every visible orifice I had and even some that I didn't start out with, I still managed to fight an invincible opponent to a stalemate. And I believe the opponent we will face may be even stronger still. But don't fear. With me teaching this school the next level of Western Magic, we WILL be ready."

There was a long silence. "Very well, just be careful. We're not all built like you." She stood up and quieted the students, who were still rather shaken by what they'd seen. Best to move things along.

"Next," she went on, "I'd like to welcome a pair of exceptional young men who will be taking my place as Transfiguration teachers, Professors Edward and Alphonse Elric."

Ed stood up and raised his gloved right fist to the air. Al just reached behind his head and looked down in embarrassment.

"And finally, this young man shall be teaching an extracurricular course in physical education this year. I'd like you to give a warm welcome to Mr. InuYasha, Mr. Koga and their friends."

Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Ayame and Shippo stood up, smiled and waved as the students cheered. InuYasha stood up, but didn't smile – it wasn't his style. Several people were staring at InuYasha's ears, and some were even pointing. He didn't like that at all. Koga just smirked and gave a small wave; he never considered himself InuYasha's friend, but he never turned down an invitation to show off how cool he was.

"To repeat the words of Hogwarts' finest Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore: though some of us may come from distance lands, speak in different tongues, our hearts beat as one. The bonds we forge this year shall be of crucial importance in the coming year … but more of that later. Now that we've all been introduced, tuck in everyone," she finished with a clap of her hands. Suddenly, every platter on every table was filled with chops, potatoes, chicken, turkey, and everything else imaginable.

Everyone started eating at once. Edward grabbed a handful of everything within arm's reach and started ravenously shoveling it into his face. InuYasha took a big slab of steak, and was about to start chomping away when Kagome pulled his ear and handed him his utensils. He behaved better after that, but he was still a little sore about having his ear pulled. He pressed so hard on his plate with his knife that he came close to breaking it in half. Kagome had to grab his ear again, making Kotaro laugh – he found it quite amusing. Ayaka simply couldn't believe that there was someone on this planet with worse manners than Asuna or Kotaro. Negi was a little worried – if everyone ate like that, there wouldn't be enough food or dishes for everybody.

Over at the Gryffindor Table, Choji was attacking the meat, grabbing drumsticks and pork chops from wherever his hand could reach; anything meaty was his favorite. Naruto was no different, but he was missing his favorite ramen. That was until the Hogwarts ghosts came out to meet the new students and their old friends in the older students. Naruto was shocked when Sir Nicholas de Mimsy–Porpington a.k.a. Nearly–Headless Nick poked his head up through the table from under the tray of roast beef right in front of Naruto. He let out a cry of surprise and fell backwards off his seat. People stared at him as he straightened himself up and slowly stood up again. "Sorry about the fright, dear boy," the ghost apologized pleasantly.

Harry and Ron laughed. "Hello, Sir Nicholas," Harry greeted the ghost, still laughing. "How've the last few years been since we left?"

"Ah, Harry my boy," Nick said turning to find his favorite trio of Gryffindors beaming at him. "And Ron and Hermione. Good to see you children."

"You too, Sir Nicholas," Hermione returned his kind greeting. "How've you been?"

"Dismal, sad to say," Nicholas said with a hint of depression in his voice. "This year makes my 400th request to join the Headless Hunt to be denied."

"This is Sir Nicholas," Hermione said to Naruto, helping him back into his seat. "Also known as Nearly Headless Nick."

"If it's all the same to you, I prefer _Sir _Nicholas.

"Um, what do you mean, 'Nearly Headless'?" Sakura asked him curiously. "How can you be '_nearly_ headless'."

_Déjà vu,_ thought Nick, and said, "Like _this_," taking himself by the left ear and pulling on his head, causing it to swing off his neck about half–way down the throat. This made Naruto go blue in the face and pass out right into his plate of potatoes. When Nick had been killed, his neck wasn't entirely severed, so his head was still connected, but only by a mere hinge. Despite being hit 45 times with a blunt axe, his neck wasn't severed completely, and that prevented him from being accepted into the Headless Hunt.

"Ask a silly question," Nick said, flipping his head firmly back into place. "Get a silly answer." Then, he glided away, leaving Sakura to try to revive her potato–faced friend.

* * *

When all the food was gone, Professor McGonagall stood up once more and began to address the students. "Now that we are all fed and watered, I have some pressing matters to enlighten you all to.

"Over this past summer, a new threat to not only our world but the entire planet has arisen and has begun exterminating all of wizard kind," she started grimly. Many students gasped, some looked close to tears.

"Now, I don't want you to be alarmed, for as you know, Hogwarts would normally be the safest place for you all. However, these enemies seem to be attacking all forms of magical beings. For that reason as well as many others, when the opportunity comes, most of you will be evacuated to safe haven until all is well again. I have assurances from Professors Springfield and Takahata that the first priority will not be to build up an army against these new foes, but to save as many lives as possible."

She paused impressively, letting that first wave of bad news sink in. Whispers began among the students. "Silence, please," she boomed with authority, and the chatter died down.

"As far as we've seen, these foes have been primarily killing magic folk, and so far, they have mostly left Muggle dwellings alone, and therefore, if and when the need arises, you will be sent home to rejoin your families and be sent into hiding amongst the Muggles. All those willing to stay and fight will be trained in the most advanced form of magical self–defense. The faculty, as well as everyone who still remains in one year, will be prepared when the time to fight comes along.

"But enough with the bad," she said finally, reminding Harry of Professor Dumbledore, the finest Headmaster that Hogwarts had ever had in its 1000+ years of operation, who always ended his speeches with some inspiring words of wisdom. "Whether you go into hiding with your families or stay here to train with us for the oncoming war, you would do well to remember that, even in the darkest of times, when many small lights join together, they form a powerful light that even the greatest darkness cannot penetrate."

Hearing this could only made Negi smile. _I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks so_, he thought. _There's hope for us all, yet_. He stood up and gestured that he would like to speak. When McGonagall nodded, he smiled and said, "Remember everyone," as confidently as he could. "Our magic is powerful, but not absolute. Courage is the one and only true magic.

"I'd like to recite a short poem for you, if you would allow me, that I discovered during my studies in the last few weeks. It is from an old Greek text, and when translated, it reads:

'Out of every hundred men

Ten shouldn't even be there

Eighty are just targets

And nine are the real fighters.

And we are lucky to have all of them

For they make the battle

But the One

One is a warrior

And he will bring the others back.'

"When we go to war with our enemies in one year, wherever you all are, whether it is fighting alongside us, or in hiding with your families," he paused impressively, slapping the table and leaning forward. "Let me be that warrior! No matter what happens, I swear I will find a way to bring everyone back to their loved ones, alive!" He made this last statement with an absolute enthusiasm and confidence that the teachers could not help but admire. "Remember my words: What is worthwhile cannot be destroyed! And what is good and right must be defended! You are the future, and the future _WILL_ survive! I swear it on my honor as a Magister Magorum!"

Several Professors smiled, including McGonagall. This boy was a true leader, as well as a great warrior. Surely, he would find a way to ensure everyone's safety. The students seemed to agree; their whispers of not–so–silent approval seemed to prove that to be true.

"Now, off to bed. We've got a busy term ahead of us," McGonagall finished. "I must say, Professor Springfield, you're very powerful, and very wise, for one so young," she said, turning to Negi. "It's rather terrifying, actually. Terrifying, but _brilliant_!"

"Thank you," Negi could only say with a modest smile.

* * *

"Well, that was cheerful," Ron said sarcastically as they got up with the rest of the crowd.

"Why did McGonagall's last bit of wisdom sound so familiar?" Harry thought out loud. But Hermione quickly answered him.

"Dumbledore told us something rather similar in our 3rd year, remember? 'Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, when one only remembers to turn on the light'."

"Yeah, I remember that," Ron burst out. "I'll never know how, but Dumbledore always seemed to know something would happen before it did. It's brilliant … but scary, you know?"

"Never mind that," Neville interrupted. "What about Professor Negi's speech? Was that inspiring or what? 'You are the future, and the future will survive.' Wow!"

"And that poem," Justin piped in. "That was some pretty powerful stuff. Leave it to a warrior to deliver a warrior's speech."

"Well, powerful or not," Seamus added. "If we're all going to live through the year, we're going to need more than just one 'Warrior' among us."

_He's right_, Harry thought pensively. _He's already super, ultra, mega_–_strong, but if our enemies are stronger still, we're going to need help_._ Maybe I can …_

A small group of 1st years passed them by on their way to their common rooms. They were whispering to each other. Some were worried about their families, and some were worried about school, which Ron could not understand. Some were pointing at Harry. Harry just smiled at them; he never thought he'd miss people admiring him like this, but now that Neig was around, and getting so much attention from the students, his friends and the teachers, he felt himself starting to get jealous. He'd gotten so used to people treating him with the usual respect that it had just started to seem like a dream to be the "famous Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived."

* * *

Next update: in two days. Just letting you know, it'll be short. Also, I'll be up most of the night, so I'll keep my eye out for Negima updates.


	36. Chapter 29: Casa de Elric

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Family Guy. Trust me, when the tribute happens, you'll know. Probably just a one time only thing, however.

* * *

Sorry I'm a day late. I wasn't up all night just three nights ago but also two nights ago, so I spent most of yesterday sleeping.

**Edited for error: 9/26/2012**

* * *

Casa De Elric

As the students exited the Hall and followed their prefects back to their dormitories and the teachers headed for their own rooms, Harry and his gang headed out to the large hotel building waiting for them. They met the crowd of Negi's students, InuYasha's group, and all of the ninja standing around a large sign out front that read, "Caution! Floor has just been waxed!"

_Was that sign there earlier?_ Harry thought to himself.

"Hang on," Ron interjected. "This sign wasn't here when we left to go to the castle, and the Elric Brothers had left before us. So when was this sign put here?"

There was a long silence, followed by a great deal of chattering.

"Geez," Asuna said at last. "Are we gonna go in or not?"

As if to answer her question, the doors opened and Edward and Alphonse greeted them in the lobby. "Welcome to Casa de Elric."

Nearly everyone covered their mouths to avoid laughing, but Ed noticed. "What?! I thought it was a good name." Even Al giggled a little.

"You have got to admit, it rolls off the tongue pretty well," Lee observed.

"The keys to your rooms are on the rack behind us. Make sure you have them with you at all times," Ed went on, gesturing towards a key tree situated on the front counter. "If you should lose them, just come to our office in the castle and we'll take care of it. The keys were easy to make. All you need to do is bring us a little metal to make a replacement.

"Oh, and one more thing," Ed said as they prepared to leave. "One of the house elves at Hogwarts has volunteered to come in and clean and wax the floors daily. Had a funny name, too. 'Winky.' Ha! So please be careful."

Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at each other at the sound of the name, Winky. The last time they'd seen that elf, she had been positively miserable over being fired by her Master, the late Barty Crouch Sr.

Ed broke into a walk. "One wrong step and WOAH!" He had slipped on an extra slippery patch of floor, almost flipped completely over backwards and slid right into the wall, face first! For a moment, no one spoke, until Edward got up, revealing two puffy cheeks, a bloody nose and a black eye.

A moment later, not a single person wasn't laughing, even Edward. He had to laugh at his own clumsiness and his awkward, yet amusing timing. "I think I'll have a talk with that elf. I guess she used too much wax. Heh heh!" he laughed as he rubbed his swollen face and wiping the dripping blood from his nose. Everyone laughed harder still.

Just then, as if to illustrate his point, a strangely–familiar–looking baby with an odd–shaped head slid across the floor on his naked butt, laughing, "I'M 'NUDES ON ICE'!"

"Hey, was that –?" Ron started to ask, but a dark figure poked his head in the front door and said, "Just pretend you didn't see nothin'!"

"And who was –?" Hermione started as the door closed, but InuYasha stopped her.

"Don't bother asking us, 'cause we have no idea." He'd given up asking himself that question. _When he wants to reveal himself, he will_.

And with that, Edward and Al returned to the castle while everyone else settled into their rooms for the night.

* * *

My next chapter is going to be a rather long one, to make up for how short this one was. Most of it will take place in the bath again, so it have some fan service as well, so I suggest that no one below the age of sixteen read the next one.

Anyway, this is the last time I'm going to ask: Should I add Blood+ to my story? Yes or No? The next chapter is the deadline for votes. The votes stand at 1 – 0 in favor of going ahead with it. Make your votes count! Make your voices heard!

See you in four days.


	37. Special Chapter 5

This chapter is even longer than my last two chapters combined. Ain't that something? No, probably not, but oh well!

Well, what a twisted week this has been! I'm sure all you Negima! fans have read Chapter 285 by now and have thus seen what has become of Negi. I have no idea what Evangeline means by "higher being," but it sounds like she's made Negi more like her. But in what way? We know that Negi is no longer all–human, but what happens now? Will he become like InuYasha ... or Naruto more like (you know, with the 9–Tails and everything)? Either way, I don't think I'll have to change much in this fic. In fact, I can just alter future chapters to accommodate for the ever–changing situation.

* * *

Unorthodox Training and Midnight Arrival

"Uh, Kaede? A – are you sure I'm getting it right?" Negi asked nervously, his legs calf–deep in the hot water.

"Well, you've got the basics, but you need to apply more energy to it," Kaede said from where she stood atop the water's surface, her towel barely containing her huge bosom. "Remember, you need to keep the flow of your magic energy to your feet constant and continuously adjust the rate of output due to the water's shifting surface. If the surface is calm, it's one thing, but if there are constant disturbances, like in a swimming pool, or in this case, a bathtub, you need to know by instinct how much to put out and when, so you really need to get used to this. Then again, of course, you can't exactly predict how things are going to be in advance, so you need to get used to figuring it out on the fly." Then she smiled. "You won't catch up to Kotaro this way, but don't worry. You're really smart, so I'm sure you can figure this out in no time if you apply yourself half as much as you do to your teaching. You're keeping your balance, and that's good, but it's just not quite good enough. For instance, what happens if I do this?"

She threw off her towel and leaped high into the air; almost high enough to hit the ceiling. "CANNONBALL!" Kaede came splashing down into the middle of the tub at an alarming speed, kicking up waves that sent Negi crashing down into the piping–hot water for the umpteenth time as more waves crashed over his head. The last thing he saw before his body slapped against the surface in belly–flop manner was his own freaked–out expression looking up at him.

"AH ha ha ha ha ha ha!" she guffawed, bursting up to the surface, her large breasts jiggling as she leaned against the side of the tub. "I swear, what Kotaro would say if he could see you now, Professor. He'd never let you live it down. A little wave like that? You've still got a ways to go."

Negi finally came up, gasping for air, his face beginning to turn red from the heat. "Well, you didn't exactly help by jumping so high, you know," he retorted, plopping down face–up on the deck to let his body temperature cool down before getting up and trying again.

They were in the huge bath, and Kaede was attempting to teach Negi the water–walking technique. Once he learned this move, fighting around water would become less difficult for him, because he wouldn't have to focus on staying afloat while fighting. He was starting to get the hang of it, but he had a hard time staying on the surface. Right now, his feet were about two feet from the bottom – approximately a foot and a half below the surface from where he stood near the edge.

Ayaka had followed them down and was watching from the side of the main bath, not taking her eyes off Negi for a second as the warmth washed over her bare figure. Nothing brought her more pleasure than watching her favorite teacher, and seeing Negi covered in nothing but a towel was making her feel hotter than usual, and it was not just because it was a hot bath she was sitting in. "My goodness," she said slowly, running her hands down her slender body, her eyes still transfixed on the young boy. "This whole state of affairs came as a shock to me at first, and I'm still getting used to this magic thing, but just seeing Professor Springfield again after a whole year _really_ takes the edge off it," she sighed, sliding deeper into the water.

No sooner did she say this than Negi lost his balance and fell hard with a big SPLASH! He floated to the surface, face up, and beet–red from the heat. "Oh, Professor," Ayaka cried in concern as she splashed over to Negi and pulled him close, resting his head against her breast. "Are you okay?"

When Negi gathered himself, and figured out where he was, his face turned redder than ever and his ears began to smoke. He straightened up with a start. "I'm sorry, Ayaka. I don't know what happened there," he moaned in apology as he bowed low, or he would have, if his head hadn't gotten stuck in Ayaka's cleavage. "Mmph! MMPH," he exclaimed, flailing his hands around. _Oh no! What have I done now?!_

This took the big–breasted blonde by surprise. Negi had never come to _her_ before, and she couldn't have been happier. "Oooooh, Professor," she said lustfully, pulling him even closer than before. "I didn't know you were so … aggressive," she beamed as she looked down at his face, which was struggling to look up at her, her head in a swirling sea of sparkles.

"Believe me," Negi gasped in a quiet voice. "I didn't mean it. Now would you mind letting me go, please. Breathing is getting a little … problematic. I'm feeling a little … boxed in."

"That's not all you're feeling, and don't you mean 'breasted in'," Kaede laughed as she walked over and examined Negi. His body was red almost all over, whether it was from the impact of the falls, a full–body blush, or the heat of the tub, she couldn't tell. "Just one or two more goes and we'll call it a night, huh, Teach?"

"Right," Negi said as he recovered. "By the way, Ayaka, would you like to be one of my aides in class for the year? Your experience as Class Representative more than qualifies you."

"Why, it would be an honor and a privilege, Professor," Ayaka blushed from ear to ear. Finally, Negi was acknowledging her as a leader and a model student.

"You understand, however," Negi went on. "This commitment means you cannot say a word to anyone back in Japan about my magic. Otherwise, I'd be charged with breaking the law by revealing magic to general public."

"Of course I will keep your promise, Professor. I would never allow you to be arrested under any circumstance. Not so long as there is breath in my body, or a head on my shoulders." She put her fist to her chest, jostling her breasts.

"Hmm," Kaede nodded. "Congratulations, Negi, you've gained yet another partner."

"Partner?" they both echoed.

But before anyone could say anything else, the door opened. Negi braced himself. If it was Asuna, he was in big trouble. But it wasn't. Two girls walked in. One had shoulder–length pink hair and the other had long, dark blue hair. It was Sakura and Hinata. "Oh, good evening, girls," Negi greeted them warmly.

Both girls froze. Sakura started pointing at Negi with a shaky finger. She started stammering indistinctly.

After a long silence, both girls let out a loud, piercing scream.

Sakura was beside herself. _What is with this kid?! Coming into a bath with a bunch of girls! Naked girls no less!_ She aimed a sucker punch right at Negi's face, but it never struck. Negi snapped to attention and brought his hand up to stop her fist with ease. _He stopped my punch? What is he?_ she thought.

_This punch!_ Negi thought, his eyes widening slightly. _Taking all of one's energy into one's fist and releasing it all at once at the point of contact. It's the same kind of technique as launching a Sagitta Magica off the fist at the peak of the punch's force. She has got a great deal of talent for precision energy control._

Kaede had noticed something when Sakura tried to punch Negi. _She could use some Sessha training in subtlety_. She started forward to explain, but Ayaka got there first.

SMACK!

Ayaka slapped Sakura straight across the face. "NO ONE attacks Professor Negi unprovoked!" she said fiercely. "Not while I'm present!"

"_Unprovoked?!_ _Are you insane?!_" Sakura shot back. "Can't you tell he's a guy surrounded by naked girls? What part of this isn't wrong on every level?!" She pulled her fist back again, her towel forgotten, but Hinata stopped her.

"Sakura, please don't," she cried, clutching her towel around her body with her free hand. She turned to the others. "Please, tell us what's going on," she asked Kaede.

Kaede laughed. "Would you believe it if I said we were training?"

"Training?" Sakura echoed, relaxing her hands and wrapping her towel around herself again, blushing deeply.

"As a fellow ninja, I'm sure you're familiar with the water–walking technique," Kaede said matter–of–factly. "At least that's what I'd estimate, taking your age into account."

"Oh, right. Of course," Sakura said. "I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions."

"It's quite all right," Negi answered kindly. "I've grown used to fists flying at my face daily, so it's no big deal."

"And hey!" Sakura snapped at Kaede. "Who are you to be talking about _my_ age, especially with a rack like that, and don't forget the height difference. How old are you anyway?!"

"Hm? 15. Why?

With the sound of glass breaking, Sakura went pure white like a ghost. _She's a year younger than me. She's a year younger than me._

Kaede didn't know what to think, so she just turned around and went back to Negi's training.

And with that, the girls settled into the bath while Negi gave the water–walk another try. He was slowly getting used to discharging magic from his feet. The soles of his feet were now only nine inches below the surface, only half of the depth of just a few minutes ago.

"Wow, he is getting good," Sakura said as she watched him wobble on the water.

"How long have you been training him, Miss?" Hinata asked Kaede nervously.

"Please, call me 'Kaede', but if you really must, you could refer to me as 'Sessha'. Being called 'Miss' makes me feel like an old maid," Kaede winked at her. "This is his first day, but he has made great progress. An hour ago, he was sinking like an anchor."

"What?!" said a surprised voice. A new girl had appeared at the door. She had six whisker–like marks on her cheeks and mid–length yellow pigtails.

Everybody jumped. Negi and Kaede looked at her in bewilderment. They hadn't even heard the door open. They had no idea who she was, but Sakura and Hinata recognized who it was right away. Hinata squealed and crouched down at once as Sakura jumped up, clutching her towel in place, and running up to the girl.

"NARUTOOOOO!" she screamed, punching the girl straight in the face and sending her flying towards the closed door. Half–way there, there was a puff of smoke and SHE turned into a HE! Naruto flew right through the metal door, leaving a hole in the shape of his body, and ending with a bone–crushing crash against the far wall. For several moments, there was silence.

The first sound to be made was Negi falling with a CRASH and a SPLASH! "What was that?" he said, confused as he broke the surface. "Good punch by the way," he complimented Sakura. "Let me guess, you focused your energy into your fist and released it all at the point of contact?"

"Yeah, that's right," Sakura said in surprise. "Thanks, but how did you know?"

"I've seen it all," Negi said as he pulled himself out of the water, dripping all over. "I know all about building up energy and releasing it all at once. I've been doing it for a while in my martial arts. In fact, there's a way to send your energy as a projectile. Huh? What's the matter?"

Now he had finally realized that Sakura was covering her eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked innocently.

"Ha ha ha. Your towel, Professor."

Negi looked around. Kaede was laughing so hard, her breasts were jiggling wildly, sending dozens of droplets of water onto the already drenched floor. Ayaka was covering her mouth, blushing a deep scarlet with a few drops of blood falling from her nose. Hinata had her eyes squeezed tightly shut, and her face was as red as a strawberry. Then he looked down. "Ahh!" he gasped, and dove down into the water again, searching for his towel, which had come undone when he had resurfaced.

"It's an especially good thing Kotaro didn't see that," Kaede giggled. "Now _that_, he'd NEVER let you live it down."

Negi just laughed feebly.

"Oh, you train in physical disciplines as well as magic?" Hinata asked curiously when the boy was finally decent again. "What style do you practice?"

"Well," Negi started, his hand behind his head. "I specialize in Chinese Kenpo, but recently I've been trying to learn about Baguazhang, also known as the Eight Trigrams Palm technique. Do you know of it?"

The two kunoichi gasped and looked at each other. "B – both Hinata and her cousin Neji are experts in that style," Sakura told him. "A variation of that style is practiced by members of their clan, the Hyuga."

"Well then," Negi concluded. "I guess they're not the only ones who use it then, because Fate Averruncus seems to be quite well versed in that martial art. One of these days, I'll need your help to learn about how to combat it."

"S – sure, I'll help, if you want," Hinata said kindly.

"Thank you," Negi said sweetly as he walked back onto the water again. This time, his sole was only half–an–inch below the surface. "Hey, I think I've finally got it! Yes!" He jumped for joy, delighted at his accomplishment, only to lose focus and splash down into the hot water again, only to come up laughing.

"Good job, Teach," Kaede congratulated him as she pulled him up to a standing position on the surface, where he stood solidly atop the water. "Fei Ku was right when she said you learn fast."

"Well, I for one, am amazed," Ayaka said with delight, running over to Negi and practically tackling him into the hot water, hugging him. "Brilliantly done as always, Professor! Yes sir. Just leave it to the boy genius." As she continued to cuddle Negi against her bare bosom, which not–so–surprisingly seemed to freak out Hinata, Sakura leaned closer to Kaede.

"Um, just out of curiosity, how fast?" Sakura whispered.

Kaede leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Well, they don't call him a genius for nothing. What usually takes a full month for an average student to learn, Professor Negi can pick it up in only an hour, two to three at the most."

"WOW," Sakura gasped in awe. _And he's not even a ninja. He must have a natural talent for ninja techniques. Perhaps I should recommend him to Kakashi_–_Sensei_.

"Oh, and by the way," Kaede said suddenly.

"Yes?" the two girls said in unison.

"No, not you," Kaede said holding up three kunai knives. With a quick flick of her wrist, she threw all three through the Naruto–sized hole in the door right where the thigh had been.

There was three loud CLANGs , and a squeal. It was a man's voice.

Planting herself right next to the hole, Sakura leaned over and looked through the hole in the door in a panic. Apparently, Naruto had tried to get up again. Whether it was to peek in again was anybody's guess. One knife was less than an inch above his head, and the other two were on both sides of his neck, mere centimeters from his exposed flesh. Sakura silently thanked her lucky stars that Naruto had his towel on, so she didn't end up seeing something she would regret seeing.

"I was referring to Mister Uzumaki back there," Kaede said with a calm smile. "And by the way!" she called into the hall. "I know you're still there, Mr. Sage Ninja! If you try that again, the next one will neuter you." The last bit, she said in a very quiet voice that seemed to echo in the almost–empty bathroom.

There was another squeal and a whimper in the hall, and then came the sound of rapidly retreating footsteps.

"He won't bother us again," she said, satisfied. Then she saw the shocked looks on everyone's faces. Even Negi and Ayaka were speechless. She just shrugged and said, "Well, I don't mess around."

"'You don't mess around?'" was all Sakura could say in amazement.

Hinata went paler than usual. "That was scary," she whispered.

"And what's scarier," Sakura continued. "Is that she barely moved her arm when she threw that knife, and yet it landed as though it were thrown by a cannon. Added to it, she didn't even look where she was throwing. Astounding accuracy," she praised Kaede. "And may I say, terrifyingly ruthless, for a first offense."

"'First offense', nothing," Kaede laughed. "According to Kakashi, he's been doing that for years. Besides, I knew he was there all the time. I posted a clone in the hallway to guard the surrounding area, never staying in the same place for very long, but constantly under cover. Very slim chance he would've noticed. As you know, everything a shadow clone learns is transferred to your own mind when you release the jutsu."

"Your use of clones is flawless," Sakura commented. "Maybe even as good as Naruto." _If not better._

"Why thank you," said Kaede modestly.

"No I MEAN it," Sakura pressed. "You hit Guy–Sensei like it was nothing at all this morning. You're amazing."

Kaede paused for a moment. "Sakura, your analytical skills are impressive. But tell me, did you notice something when you saw me fling the knives at him earlier? I'll give you a hint: it has to do with my chest."

"HUH?" said Sakura, now all confused.

"I'll explain. I noticed earlier when you tried to hit Professor Springfield. You needed to pull back your fist so far that your boobs were bouncing all over the place." Sakura blushed a deep red. "Now I'll ask you again. Did you notice anything?"

After a moment, Sakura gasped. "Of course," she snapped. "When you threw the knife, your arm movement was so subtle, the movement didn't transfer to _your_ breasts, and yet you threw the knives straight into the wall with so much force that they stuck fast."

"Right," Kaede nodded. "You're already very strong, but you haven't any subtlety. If you telegraph your punches too much by putting your whole body into it, your opponent can dodge it easily, or catch it like Professor Springfield did a few minutes ago, and might I add: it gives quite the show for any watching perverts. I can teach you that subtlety. Just come up to the mountains with me on the weekends. That's where I do my main training regimen."

Sakura smiled and clenched her fist. "I'll be there." Negi and Hinata just smiled. "But hang on. There's one thing I don't get."

"Yes?"

"Where did you get those knives from? I never saw any knives anywhere in this room. Don't tell me you had them tucked away in your cleavage or something!" she said with a distraught face. "That's beyond crazy!"

Suddenly, just as they were about to call it a night, there was an extraordinary noise.

_ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAR_!

It was coming from outside. "Everyone stay here," Negi called to them as he grabbed his towel and bolted out the emergency exit. Everyone else was gathered outside in their nightclothes and pajamas, all looking up at the sky. Even Harry and the whole of Dumbledore's Army were there and the entire team of Leaf shinobi were poised on the roof, ready for an attack. Then, they all saw it.

"Hey, I know what that is!" Asuna yelled over the noise. "It's the Chao Bao Zi train car!"

And it was. The special café railcar had special rocket boosters on its underside, allowing it to fly. It slowly lowered itself down and landed gently on the ground, its wheels sinking into the soft ground.

"And you know what that mean, right?" Fei Ku burst out excitedly, racing toward it. As she got closer, two figures stepped out. One was skinny with two short braids in her hair, and the other was a little bit on the chubby side. Fei Ku launched herself at the two figures and grabbed them in a big bearhug. "Satomi! Satsuki!" she cried as she hugged them tightly. "Why you no call and tell me you coming?"

"Well, Professor Negi called us, one thing led to another and well, here we are," Satsuki said with a smile as the over–excited Chinese girl finally let go. "Good evening, Professor. Sorry about the loud entrance," she said as Negi came rushing forward to greet them. "But just out of curiosity, why are you naked?"

Several girls squealed and covered their eyes. Kagome even went as far as to say, "I never took him for that kind of kid!"

Negi blushed and scratched his head. "I was kind of in the middle of a bath, Satsuki, and believe it or not … training," he chortled lightly. "I didn't expect you so late."

"Yeah, well neither did we," Satomi said, her tongue sticking out a bit. "We meant to get here during dinner, but we ran into a little surprise on the way here."

"A surprise? What was it?" asked a puzzled Negi.

But before anyone could say anything else, someone put their arm around Negi's bare shoulder and started stroking his naked, muscular chest. It had a delicate, yet firm touch, and to Negi, it was more than familiar. "Long time no see, Professor. You've bulked up since I last saw you. I'd forgotten how sexy you were when you're naked."

Everyone gasped and recoiled. There was a mid–teenage Chinese girl in a strange–looking combat suit standing right next to Negi. She had literally appeared out of nowhere.

"Hey, it's Chao–Lin!" said Asuna, pointing at her.

"Chao!" cried Fei Ku, running up and hugging her best friend. "I thought you go back to the future!" she sobbed, trying to hold back her tears.

"Yeah, but you know, I just couldn't stay away," Chao said, giving her the peace sign.

"Chao," Negi said slowly. "It's great to see you again. I had a feeling I would be seeing you again soon."

"Really?" Chao giggled. "What made you think that?"

"When you left, you said, 'Zaijian.' I may not be as proficient in Chinese as Japanese, but I know that that was not as much a 'Goodbye' as it was an 'Until we meet again,' so I always thought we'd see you again. I just didn't know it would be this soon. Let me guess, you used the Cassiopeia to get behind me just now."

"You know me too well," the girl said, and dangled a golden pocket watch–type time machine in front of Negi's face.

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?"

Everyone looked around and saw Professor McGonagall and some of the other teachers running down from the castle, gasping for breath. Ed and Al were among the first to reach them, as they were the youngest and in the best of shape. As soon as they saw Negi, the two brothers laughed. "Dude, what happened to you?" Ed asked in–between laughing fits.

"What is the meaning of this? And who in the world ARE you girls?" she demanded when she had finally caught her breath, staring at Chao, Satsuki and Satomi with her ever–piercing glare. "As for you, Professor Springfield, why are you naked in public like this?! This is not conduct becoming of a teacher," she snapped, looking away.

"Ah, Professor McGonagall," Negi greeted her, his face just as red as hers. "I apologize. I was in the bath when I heard the noise, and didn't exactly have time to change, just in case it was an emergency. But as you can see, everything is A–OK! These are three more of my students: Chao Lingshen, Satsuki Yotsuba, and Satomi Hakase. I invited them here to join us during the feast, but they clearly were a couple of hours late getting here."

"Well I can see that much, Professor Springfield," she replied. "Now, if you would perhaps explain why they're here, and what _that_ is?" she said pointing at the large rail car.

"Of course," Negi started. "This is –"

"The one and only fully mobile restaurant car of the Chao Bao Zi restaurant franchise," Chao took over. "Owned by yours truly and operated by us of the Mahora Cooking Club, it offers authentic Chinese cuisine during the time of the Mahora Festival every Spring, along with many other foreign delicacies, but at Professor Negi's behest, we have decided to make it into a free all–you–can–eat buffet–style restaurant right here at Hogwarts for the coming year. We'll work side–by–side with the house–elves here to produce an even bigger variety of food for all to enjoy."

The only sound now was Negi clapping. "Wonderful sales–pitch, Chao. Trust the #1 genius of Mahora to come up with something like that."

"Well that's all fine and all, but I think it's time we all got back to bed," Professor Sprout said tiredly. "Sudden disturbances in the middle of the night aren't good for the heart," she added, clutching hers as she and the rest of the teachers turned back towards the castle.

"You forgot to mention the fact that I'm you're future descendant from Mars," Chao whispered hovering over Negi's shoulder, her eyes glinting in the moonlight.

"Shh," Negi shot back in a hushed voice. "We shouldn't tell them about that. It'll complicate matters, and will probably get me into trouble, again. Now if you excuse me, I have a bath to finish. The Elric Brothers here will show you to your rooms, girls," he finished with a gesture in Ed and Al's direction.

So with that, Negi returned to the bathing area as everyone began to disperse. _I shudder to think how they're going to get that train into the castle using those rockets_, he thought.

* * *

All righty then. All polls are closed and the final decision is ... *drum–roll* ... Blood+ will be added, just as I had hoped. Sorry, fg7dragon, but hey, you might grow to like it by the time I'm done with this story. After all, I believe that an anime's true potential can only be realized in a crossover, because that opens up whole new opportunities for interaction. But all the same, I won't just add anime into it willy–nilly. I'll just add in whatever anime fits the situation the best.

Also, just as a heads–up, I've got plans for Death Note and Dragon Ball Z around perhaps Chapter 34, 35, or 36. Any thoughts on this? I eagerly await your responses, 'cause we'll be there before you know it.

For now, you can look forward to Negi's first lecture in 3 days ... PAH! You know what? My classes for Friday are both canceled, so I'll do it then! So make it two days.


	38. Chapter 30: The 1st Class of the Term

Okay, I've got a funny story to tell you. Now, I have ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), so it's kind of difficult to get through college on my own steam, which is more often than not in short supply, so I need something to keep me going so I can actually do my work. So anyway, today I picked up my weekly shipment of my medication from my parents, and as I'm walking out of the mail room, I'm ripping open the package. Now, my mom isn't very good at screwing the top on straight. So when I open the package, the vial with my medicine in it comes flying out, and as it hits the ground, the top comes off and the three pills roll into the street. Now, here at New Paltz, we got some really aggressive white geese, two of whom just had babies. Adorable! How I love birds! They're nice when you treat them right, but all the same, they go crazy for food, so when the pills rolled out, I managed to scoop up two of the three, but the loudest goose of all, who I call "the leader" picks up the pill in his mouth and swallows it like a piece of cracked corn. That's my concerta he just swallowed, man! How am I supposed to get my school work done without a full week's supply of stimulants for my ADD, huh? And to make matters worse, this is a true story! That's right! 100% true! And that's why it's so _wrong_ in every sense of the word.

In all seriousness, I hope that goose is all right. I love birds, so I wouldn't feel right if I, directly or indirectly caused that goose's goose to be cooked.

* * *

I think this will be my most successful chapter yet. Not only do I get to show off my talent for writing up a good lecture, but it also gives me a chance to make use of that course in Philosophy I took years ago.

Updated**: 10/7/12  
**

* * *

The 1st Class of the Term

At last, the first day of school arrived. Harry, Ron, Hermione and all of their friends were very excited as they filed into the classroom for the first Defense Against the Dark Arts class. They were sitting in on a fifth year class, and were eager to see how the students reacted to having a teacher younger than them.

"I wonder what he'll teach us about," said one of the students.

"Maybe he'll teach us how to become lightning like him. Like POW POW POW! ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM! WHOOSH! That would be amazing!" said another.

"He wouldn't dare," Hermione whispered to Harry. "It would be disastrous!"

"You don't need to tell me that, Hermione," Harry whispered back. "Remember we faced that power only a matter of days ago. It's completely mental."

"Hey, that's my line," Ron grinned at him.

Even Naruto, Sakura, Lee and Neji had taken a break from their patrolling duties to observe the class.

"Hah!" scoffed Naruto impatiently. "When is he gonna get here?"

"I agree," Lee concurred with him. "If magic really is real, then I want to see it with my own two eyes."

"Uh, guys?" Sakura inquired. "Didn't we already see some of it at work last night?"

"They probably need to see it in person," Neji reasoned. "I, myself, am a little skeptical. After all, there is such a thing as digital tampering."

Just then, the doors to the professor's office opened with a BANG and Negi stepped onto the landing at the top of the long staircase leading to his office. He smiled warmly at all his new students. "Good morning everyone. I'll be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for this year. I hope you'll bear with me as I will not only be teaching you the usual defensive spells, but some of my own as well," he said as he slowly descended the steps, never taking his eyes off of his class. "First of all, let me make one thing perfectly clear. I may be teaching you all kinds of spells this year, but under no circumstance will I teach anyone to use Dark Magic. It is too dangerous to both the caster and the victim. And besides that, it was never meant for use by humans. Is that clear?"

"But you're human, too, sir," said a girl in the back row.

"Yes, well, uh," Negi said hesitantly, scratching the back of his head. "That's a sensitive topic. I'd rather not talk about that if it's … all right with all of you."

"Excuse me, sir?" came a voice from the front row.

"Yes sir?"

"What do you mean by 'Dark Magic.' I don't understand."

"Of course," Negi answered the boy's question. "By 'Dark Magic,' I mean the technique you saw me use during the film last night. That power is an ancient and forbidden spell that fuses offensive magic with the user's body and soul. For anyone else to use it, it would mean certain death or insanity at the very least, and that's if your body isn't ripped apart from the inside." There was an audible gasp and a few sighs of relief. "To be frank, it's more dangerous to the user than to any enemy.

"Today, I think we'll keep things simple. Now, as far as magical learning is concerned, I believe in a practical approach. 'Learn by doing,' I always say. However, today will be a lecture, because –"

"AWWWWWWWW!" everyone groaned loudly.

"EVERYONE BE QUIET!"

Everybody looked toward the door. There stood Ayaka and Kagome. "You will let your Professor speak," Kagome boomed with authority, her dark hair swinging behind her as the two girls walked across the room to Negi's side.

"Unless you want detention," Ayaka added, surveying the room with her cool green eyes. There was silence for several seconds before Negi spoke again.

"Thank you, ladies," Negi nodded in acknowledgement. "I see I made a good choice when I asked you to assist me."

"Think nothing of it, my dear Professor Springfield," Ayaka dismissed his praise, pulling him into her arms, her eyes sparkling. "You need only say the –"

But she didn't get to finish, Asuna appeared out of nowhere and pulled her off of Negi by the side of her mouth. "All right, that's enough, Lolita. Take a powder!" she yelled as she shoved her down into a chair. "You need to learn to speak when spoken too."

"Where did you come from?! You should learn how to treat your superiors, Asuna Kagurazaka, you little –"

But once again, she couldn't finish, this time as a result of Kagome's Silencing Charm. "Both of you need to learn when to clam up." She returned her wand to its place in her uniform just as Nodoka rushed into the room.

"Am I … late, Professor?" she panted.

"Uh … thank … you, girls," Negi said awkwardly. "No, not at all, Nodoka, you're just in time. Anyway," he started again, snapping out of the heat of the moment. "Today, we're going to have a class discussion about what makes dark magic 'dark.' And by 'dark magic,' I mean the so–called 'curses', hexes, and jinxes that so–called 'dark wizards' utilize. I want all of you to take a couple of minutes to think and talk with the person next to you about what I've said and then tell me what YOU think dark magic really is."

At his words, everyone started thinking and talking at once. _Such diligence_, Negi thought. This gave him quite a bit more confidence in his teaching abilities.

After five minutes, Negi raised his voice again. "Silence, silence. Now, by a show of hands, how many of you think that 'dark magic' is simply a name for magic used by evil wizards?" A third of the class raised their hands high. "Okay, now how many think it's evil magic or magic used by evil wizards and witches?" More than half the class raised their hands at this. "Any other thoughts before we move on?" he asked.

A few people raised their hands.

"Yes, you?" Negi said pointing to a girl two rows from the back.

"Magic used for one's own purposes?" she said.

"Okay, that's a very general way of putting it. A little misguided, in fact. I'm actually glad you said that, because if magic used selfishly is to be considered 'dark magic,' then we may all be 'dark wizards' ourselves. Good try, though. Anyone else?"

"Me, sir," called a boy in the middle of the room, a Hufflepuff.

"Yes? Go ahead."

"Magic used to cause pain or to kill?"

"Very good. Excellent. Causing pain and killing is often considered evil and dark. Anyone else, or is that all of you?" No one else volunteered.

"Well, that was pretty thorough," he complemented them. "However, I'm afraid that there is _no_ right answer to that question. After all, what is good? What is evil? The answer is simple: the person's perspective; his or her point of view."

At this, Hermione raised her hand. "Excuse me, but what does point of view have to do with anything?"

"Everything," Negi said in a voice full of certainty. "What is good to one person is not always good to another. Simply put, Mr. Potter?"

"Yes?" Harry said, caught off guard by the sudden question.

"When you confronted Lord Voldemort in the past, did he ever refer to his brand of magic as 'dark' or 'evil'?"

At this point, everyone in the room turned to look at Harry.

"You're right," Harry said. "He never did. Voldemort was a twisted, wicked man, but he always believed that what he was doing was right. He even told me once that there was no such thing as good or evil. Only power, and those too weak to seek it. I never gave it much thought. I just thought he was talking his heinous, self–righteous nonsense."

_Sounds a bit like Orochimaru_, thought Naruto, looking down at his feet with a sullen expression on his face. _Perhaps even something Sasuke might say._

Negi nodded. "I was afraid of that. Well Mr. Potter, he wasn't wrong –"

At those words, the entire class went into an uproar. Students and adults were protesting all at once. Naruto was probably the most pissed off of all. "SILENCE!" Negi thundered in a voice that sounded in no way like his own. This voice was very deep and menacing, and it echoed all over the room and rang out over the forest and around the entire grounds where the other Leaf Shinobi were on guard duty. His entire body began to flash black, even his clothes and hair seemed as black as the feathers of a crow's wing.

A whole minute passed, and no one said a word, not even Kagome, Ayaka or Asuna. Even Naruto seemed terrified. Sakura was frozen from head to toe, as she had been petrified. Neji's eyes simply widened. He was very good at keeping his composure.

"Thank you," he said softly, taking a deep breath and calming himself, his voice now back to normal. His body returned to normal as well. "As I was saying, he was not wrong; not entirely anyway, and at the very least, where good and evil are concerned. We all know that good and evil exist, but does anyone know why?

"And by the way," he said suddenly with a big smile, still with his eyes on the students. "You can come down now, Mr. Hatake."

Naruto and Sakura gasped and looked up. There, standing upside–down on the ceiling, was their former teacher, Kakashi Hatake.

"K – K– K – Ka – Kakashi–Sensei?!" Naruto gasped, pointing up at him.

"Hi, there everyone," the young man said with a light wave and a light–hearted wink.

"Sensei?" Sakura sputtered. "What are you doing up there?"

"Well, I was planning on keeping an _eye_ on you four to make sure you didn't get into any trouble," he started, widening his own eye for emphasis. "But then I got interested in the riveting subject this young man was talking about, so I decided to stay and listen in. Hope I wasn't too much of a distraction."

"You mean you've been there –" Naruto started.

"– the whole time," Negi and Neji said at the same time.

"Since we started, to be precise," Negi finished.

"Didn't you notice?" Neji added quizzingly.

"What?!" Naruto exploded. "How was I supposed to know?!"

"He is _YOUR_ Sensei, Naruto," said Lee with a voice that seemed full of pity for his fellow ninja.

"Be that as it may," Negi said. "I can't have one of my students hanging up there with the blood rushing to his head. Please, come down and join us."

"Certainly, Professor Springfield," Kakashi said respectfully, and made a hand sign. There was a puff of smoke and in an instant, he was standing by the window. "Please continue."

No one spoke to answer his question, so Negi decided to answer it for them. "One cannot exist without the other. Two sides of the same coin. That means that they are interdependent. Each is the opposite of the other, and therefore, both must exist for there to be harmony and balance. However, there is no real magic that can _really _be called 'dark'."

"But why?" Ron asked. "That doesn't make sense."

"Doesn't it?" Negi asked. "What do you think, Mrs. Weasley?"

Hermione stirred nervously, as though she were debating whether she should answer him. "Yes. It does," she said in a hoarse whisper. "He's right, Ron."

"What?!" he and Harry said at once.

"It's just as he says. If one doesn't exist, the one that did exist would just go until everything is thrown into chaos. Good would just be normal, and on the other hand, so would bad, because there would only be one side to things. There would be no magnitudes. It wouldn't be black and white; it would just be one or the other, with no difference between right and wrong."

"Well, I still don't get it, but go on, Professor," Ron said with a blank look on his face. Harry and Hermione just shook their heads in pity.

_And I thought Naruto was clueless_, thought Kakashi with a light chuckle.

Negi just giggled. _And I thought Asuna was clueless_. "In other words, everyone, there are countless definitions for the same term, 'dark magic,' but there is no known answer that is considered right. One might say that it is all in one's intent.

"For example, take the Disarming Spell, _expelliarmus_, a spell that our friend, Mr. Potter is famous for using in 'most any situation."

Harry blushed.

"If it is used against someone you think is evil, then it is good. But if someone uses it against someone you hold to be good …" Negi went on, now pacing up and down the isles. Kakashi was watching intently. "… then it is evil. In other words, good can be evil, and evil can be good. Are you all with me on this?"

Several of the students nodded. A few said, "Yes." Others just looked confused.

"But how can that be?" Hermione burst out. "Okay, I'm sure we can agree about lesser spells like _expelliarmus_, but what about the Unforgivable Curses? What about them? They're evil no matter how you look at them!"

"No, they're not," Negi said calmly. "I could tell you why, but I'd like to give someone else a chance. Anyone know of the Unforgivable Curses? Anyone at all?"

Again, no one spoke.

"Perhaps, our friends in the back? Someone who has had more experience? Having lived through the second war against Lord Voldemort, I trust you know all about the Unforgivable Curses."

"Yes, we do," Neville said, biting his lip. "And we hope we'll never have to see them again, so if –"

"Oh, don't worry," Negi reassured them. "I have no intention of teaching those spells here. Too dangerous." _Unless, of course, the situation calls for it._

"Phew," several people said.

"However," Negi continued, causing several people to go rigid. "You need to know what they are, and more importantly: what they can do." He turned to the chalkboard, which he magically lowered to his appropriate height. "Now Mr. Weasley," he said, starting to write down the names of the spells as well as the corresponding incantations. "Perhaps you can enlighten us on what the Imperius Curse does?"

"Uh, right," Ron said, startled. "It takes complete control over the victim. They do whatever you want them to do. Behave how you want them to behave. It's like –"

"They're a puppet on strings."

The voice had come from the windowsill. Everyone turned to see Evangeline, still in her pajamas, sitting on the windowsill, her left leg dangling outside the window. She was rubbing her eyes. "You really need to learn to control your voice, boy. You woke me up," she yawned.

Ron yelped. Whenever he laid eyes on Evangeline, that moment when she'd frozen him in a solid pillar of ice flashed into his mind. His friends looked at him with concern, and then looked at Evangeline in bewilderment. What could she have done to Ron to make him so afraid of her?

"Oh, uh, I'm sorry, Master. I promise it won't happen again," Negi pleaded timidly, cold sweat trickling down his face.

"It'd better not," she sneered, appearing behind him, licking his neck, making the hair on Negi's head stick out in all directions. "Or I'll suck you dry where you stand." And then she was gone, out the window, probably going back to her nap. "By the way," they heard her say. "I'm impressed that you've tamed the Darkness. Seems I was right in making you my successor as the 'Future Final Boss of Evil'."

"Well, that certainly was … colorful," Kakashi said in his amused, lighthearted manner after a short pause of silence.

"What was that all about?" Neville asked.

"And what did you mean by 'Master'?" Hermione asked.

"She's a vampire. That's where the whole 'suck me dry' thing came from. And in terms of magical power, she's even stronger than me, and she's essentially the one who provided me with the means to learning how to fight in terms of magic like you saw in the film we saw last night, so what can I do _but_ do as she says?" Negi answered their questions.

"Uh, Negi?" Asuna interjected.

"Um, yes Asuna?" Negi said.

"What's with the neck–licking?" she asked suspiciously.

"That was going to be my question as well," Kakashi said, his right hand stroking his chin, his left hand on his hip. Plus, there seemed to be a twinkle in his eye. He just loved stuff like this. Must have been from all that reading of the _Makeout_ series.

"How's he supposed to know?" Kagome interrupted. "So she's got a twisted mind. That's not his problem."

"Right you are, Kagome," Ayaka added, finally free of the Silencing Charm. "Now please continue, Professor."

"Right," Negi said, checking the time on his cell phone. "We seem to be running a bit low on time, so I'll just take care of the rest.

"Now, it's just as Mr. Weasley says. The Imperius Curse, or Puppet Curse, makes a literal puppet out of its victim, forcing them to do as the caster wishes, whether they like it or not. Now, someone give us another curse."

"Uh, well, there's the – the Cruciatus Curse," Neville spoke up boldly.

"Yes, yes sir, you're right," Negi said, writing more. "The Cruciatus, or Torture Curse, creates incredible, insufferable pain throughout every inch of the victim's entire body. Truly one of the most sadistic spells in existence. Last curse anyone? Anyone? Come on, back there. I know you know it."

No one dared to speak until Harry spoke up. "The Killing Curse."

Negi nodded slowly. "Correct. The Killing Curse causes 100% certain death. There's only one man who has ever survived it, and he's standing in this very room, and legend has it he did it more than once," he said as he finished writing and turned around to address the class, flashing an brief eye in Harry's direction. "However, don't think that you may never see these spells, because as I've learned over the past several months: anything is possible in this world of ours."

At this point, Negi had finished writing and had conjured up a small desk amongst the students desks and sat down, as though he were one of them. This was his way of making himself look like less of a teacher, and more like a friend to his students.

"Together with the Imperius and Cruciatus Curses, the Killing Curse completes the triad of spells that represents the three most atrocious crimes defined by the criminal justice system: forced manipulation, torture, and murder, and are never to be used, lest you end up in Azkaban, the wizard prison, for the rest of your lives, surrounded by miles of ocean and under Auror guard 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. However, these spells are no different from any other, in that the evilness of such is only determined by one's purpose. After all, who determines what is unethical, illegal, etc.?"

"The Ministry of Magic?" said one of the students, a Gryffindor.

"Yes! That's right," Negi said. "Take five points for Gryffindor. Yes, that is where the standards are decided. However, even the Ministry of Magic must eat their own words at some point."

"What does that mean, sir?" asked a Ravenclaw boy.

"The question was a little opaque, I suppose? I am referring to what would happen if you were faced with a murderous adversary that you cannot defeat by just means," he answered. "In situations such as this, you have either of two options, and both involve death. One: you commit evil to destroy the greater evil. Two: you hold tight to your morals, even if it means your own death. Do you think it is justifiable to use a curse such as one of these for the sake of defeating such a foe? Either way, evil remains in the end. Thus, it remains an absolute, unending, and eternal paradox.

"For our next class, I would like up to a full roll of parchment on your opinion regarding what we discussed today. Does what we spoke of today make sense to you? No? Do you agree? No? Then tell me why. Think critically and answer carefully and completely, because the collective opinion of your answers will determine how much I teach you this term. If you have to go over one roll, go right ahead if needed. That said, class dismissed. We begin our practical magic study later this week."

As the students put their notebooks back into their bags, Negi added one more thing. "If you have any questions, or have any difficulty understanding any topics mentioned in today's lecture, please send me an owl or contact one of my lovely Teaching Assistants here," he said, indicating Kagome, Ayaka and Nodoka, who all blushed at being called "lovely". "And we'll schedule a meeting in my office. Have a lovely day everyone. And make sure you all come to dinner tonight. It'll be a day you'll never forget!"

He turned to Kagome and Ayaka, who approached him. "You were brilliant, Ne – ah – I mean Professor Springfield," Kagome said excitedly. "You really are an excellent teacher."

"Thank you," Negi grinned. "A teacher wants his students to be as pleased with his lessons as he is, and I'm very pleased with how this first class went. Couldn't have gone better in my opinion."

"HEAR, HEAR!" Kagome cheered.

"I entirely agree," Kakashi said, walking over and patting Negi on the shoulder. "Now I see why they made you the teacher of this class. You know what you're doing. They made the right decision. I really should tell you how my first session with Naruto and Sakura went. Bumpiest exercise you've ever seen. You probably wouldn't believe it."

"I expected nothing less," Ayaka started. "But Professor?"

"Yes?"

"Please don't raise your voice like that again," she said, turning red. "It scared many of your students, including me."

Kagome nodded. "Not even InuYasha has ever looked that scary." _I don't think even Naraku has ever made chills run down my spine like that._

Kakashi pulled his mask up a little bit higher on his face. _That even scared me … just for a second. But what was even scarier than that was that insidious black aura._

As Negi left the room to join the students at lunch, he met Harry and company outside in the corridor. "Where did you learn to teach like that?" Hermione asked him. "It was like nothing I've ever seen before. The discussion was so engaging. We've never had a group discussion like that in Hogwarts before."

"Wicked," said Ron.

"Yeah, really," Harry smirked.

"He reminds me of Dumbledore," Neville said. "The way he lays down the law and gets everyone's attention. Wow!"

"Bloody brilliant!" Justin joined in.

"AMAZING!" Lee yelled in ecstasy. "I cannot wait for the next class. I must tell Guy–Sensei about this." And he ran off in search of his mentor.

"Impressive," Neji agreed with a solemn nod. "He may have the body of a child, but also the mind of a brilliant teacher and even a philosopher at the same time. A true genius, and a Jack-of-all-trades. Very well–balanced."

"Indeed," Kakashi concurred stoically. "Not to mention magical powers capable of besting the greatest of all ninja, at least from what my Sharingan detected."

"I don't see what's so special about 'im," Naruto huffed in his usual stubborn manner. "I could do that too, ya know."

"In your dreams, maybe," Sakura laughed, her cheeks flushed. "He's better than I thought. Cooler than I thought, too. And he has a talent for ninja techniques, which reminds me. Kakashi–Sensei …?" she asked, grabbing Kakashi by the arm and drawing him aside.

"Okay, okay, that's enough everyone," Negi said, dismissing their praise with a wave of his hand. "Come on, we're having apple pie at lunch today. Now if you excuse me, a growing boy needs to eat in order to stay strong." And he walked briskly down the corridor towards the Great Hall.

"How did he know that?" Hermione asked, turning to Harry and Ron.

"It's because of the time machine," Asuna said, coming out of the room behind them.

"TIME MACHINE?!" they all gasped. Even Kakashi and the almost–always stoic Neji were blown away by the sudden claim.

"Yup," Asuna grinned. "Negi's got a time machine that allows him to go from time to time just like this," and snapped her fingers. "I still don't understand the whole thing, but he's good with that thing in combat too. You can use it to get the jump on your opponent and take them out before their eyes can even register any movement." She ran down the corridor to catch up with Negi. "And by the way," she called back to them. "Negi tells me that he has something really special planned for dinner."

The friends were still puzzled by her words, but said nothing as they walked towards the Great Hall for lunch. Harry had been right. There WAS much more to Negi than meets the eye.

* * *

That's all for now, students of magic. Next is InuYasha's class, and believe me, it'll be one to remember.

I really like how this one turned out, because I was able to work in some of my own ideas about 'dark magic.'

Check back in five days. Only two more pre-completed chapters left. Then, I'll be posting in slightly longer intervals.


	39. Chapter 31: Prelude to a Massacre?

Yeah, sorry about the long absence. I've been preoccupied trying to advance my next, next chapter, and with all the due dates of all of my final papers approaching, I've been a little stressed out. Still, that's no excuse for making you all wait so long. So from now on, I'll try to stay on the ball a bit more. I also noticed the major error in the Intermission chapter, and fixed it, with a few extra details mixed in too.

**Edited****: 10/7/12**

* * *

Prelude to a Massacre?

There really was apple pie at lunch in the Great Hall. Harry and Ron couldn't believe it. Even Hermione had trouble accepting that Negi had known something before it even happened.

"Should he even be allowed to have that thing?" she kept asking Harry and Ron.

"Hermione, for the umpteenth time," Harry said at last, putting down his fork. "I don't know! If he has it, he has it. You had a Time Turner once, didn't you? You know they're allowed. As long as he uses it properly, I don't think there should be any problems."

"But all the Time Turners were destroyed at the Ministry," Ron reminded them. "You remember, the Department of Mysteries. That whole fiasco?"

"Ron, I'm sure some of them made it," Hermione argued, not wanting to be proved wrong. "I'm sure some of them were being used at the time. And each Time Turner can only be rented for one year at a time, and you have to go through a thorough process, including an oath of secrecy. I don't see how a child could have a reason to have one."

"Actually, it's not a Time Turner," said a high–pitched voice.

"Who are you?" asked Hermione, turning around in her seat.

"Satomi Hakase," the girl said, adjusting her large-framed glasses. "I'm Mahora's No. 2 genius and brilliant inventor if I do say so myself. I built Chachamaru, you know, and if you must know, I built the time machine Professor Negi is using right now. It's actually Chao Lingshen's design. Looks just like an ordinary gold pocket watch, but it can allow a single person to travel back or forward in time a good while in a single jump."

"How long?" Harry asked. "Hours? Days? Months? Years?"

"Well, all things considered …" she paused impressively. "… with all the magic in the air here, I'd estimate about anywhere from a day to ten years perhaps, give or take a little bit either way."

"T – t – t – ten years?" Hermione stuttered in surprise. "That's insane."

"Bloody Hell," Ron mouthed in disbelief.

"Hang on," Harry said after a moment. "I remember now. You came here in that rail car last night, right? Plus two others."

"Yeah that's right," she answered. "Sorry for dropping in so late at night. We ran into a tropical storm on our way here and were grounded for half–a–day, and it took us days to cross the Middle East. If only those bad guys weren't there, we could've gotten here several days before the feast. All things considered, we got here a few days earlier than expected."

"Sound like you girls were lucky," Negi said, joining them. "If only you girls would've called me, I would've come and helped you get here faster."

"Nonsense, Professor," Satomi told him. "Taking it super slow was the only way to ensure we wouldn't be detected. Now we didn't run into Chao until we reached Italy. And neither Satsuki nor I can sense magic in the air, or a demonic presence for that matter. There was nothing you could've done. In fact, it might've been even worse for us if you were there, Professor. You of all people should know how much Fate Averruncus hates your guts."

"Well, you've got me there," Negi conceded slowly. _Still, though, before I sent him back here, I thought he was beginning to trust me. I guess my decision wasn't the best one I could have made._

* * *

At last, lunch ended. There were still a few hours left before the last classes of the day were set to take place, and the students didn't seem to have much to do, so InuYasha and Koga thought it was the perfect time for some torture … (ahem) … teaching. They stepped up to the steps at the foot of the Head Table and shouted out, "ALL RIGHT, LISTEN UP YOU MAGGOTS! WHOEVER WANTS TO LEARN TO FIGHT LIKE A REAL MAN CAN MEET US OUTSIDE IN FIVE MINUTES!" Then they left.

Malfoy laughed. "'Like a _real_ _man_'? You hear that one, Goyle?" he cackled to his henchman. "'Fight like a man.' This is coming from a guy that's half–a–man to begin with. Hah ha ha ha … WOAH!" InuYasha had just walked right up behind him and forcefully turned him around by the arm. "What was that for? What did I do?!" he protested.

But InuYasha didn't listen. He got right in Malfoy's face, grabbed him by the front of his robes and held him not an inch from his face. He bore his fangs and snarled, "Just for that little man, _you're mine_!"

"Hey, what do you mean, 'you're mine'?" Malfoy choked, struggling against InuYasha's iron–firm grip. "What did I do to deserve this? You're breath smells like garbage. You don't even deserve to be in my presence." This was a mistake.

"What'd you say to me?!" With one hand, InuYasha threw him against Goyle so hard both of them went flying. InuYasha pointed to his ears. "I'll have you know that my father reined over half the demon world of Japan when he was alive seven hundred fuckin' years ago! If it's someone who doesn't deserve to be in someone else's presence, it's you! Beside, you see these ears of mine? HUH?!" he yelled, putting much emphasis on that last word. "They're not just for show, you scrawny little bastard. I could hear a damn pin drop all the way down in the damn dungeons. I can even smell a drop of blood ten fucking miles away. You think I can't hear you laughing at me? HUH?! Come here you!" He grabbed the still downed Malfoy by the cloak and slung him over his shoulder like a piece of meat and didn't let go, no matter how much Malfoy struggled. "You too!" he said over his shoulder to Goyle in a quiet, deadly serious voice. "I've got a bone to pick with the two o' you. And you're going to pay for it in blood if need be. I'll see to that," he finished under his voice.

Any remaining student in the vicinity of this scuffle was either terrified of InuYasha or awed by his strength.

"We could really learn something from him," someone said.

"They say the wand doesn't make the wizard," said another. "I say we give it a shot."

"Let's go," several more said, and before long, a small crowd of students was headed out onto the grounds for fighting lessons from the two demons.

* * *

Next time: It's InuYasha's first class, and it looks like he's got plans for a certain someone. Could it finally be time to get revenge for Shippo? Plus, InuYasha has never been called half–a–man before by anyone, not even Sesshomaru, so how will he react to Malfoy's insults?

Until I've written more chapters in advance, I can't make many guarantees about updates, but expect the next one in about a week, give or take a day or two.


	40. Chapter 32: Malfoy's Worst Nightmare

This goes out to all the Malfoy–haters and anyone else who simply doesn't think Draco is worth much, this chapter is for you!

**Updated: 10/7/12**

* * *

Malfoy's Worst Nightmare

When Miroku, Sango and Kagome saw how many students were following InuYasha and Koga outside, they decided it would be best to follow too, just to make sure nothing bad happened.

"InuYasha isn't exactly one for restraint," Shippo commented.

"Ain't that the truth?" Miroku agreed. "Same can be said for Koga."

"Yeah, we've all seen what those fists can do," said Sango as they exited the castle.

"True," Kagome said, thinking. "But I'm more worried about them co–existing as teachers. We all know how irritable they are."

"Uh–huh," everyone agreed as they reached the spot InuYasha and Koga had chosen.

"This is it, huh, mutt?" Koga said to InuYasha. "Didn't think this out much did you?"

"Ah shuddup, wolf–butt," InuYasha retorted under his breath.

"What did you say, mutt–face?" Koga snapped, arm punching InuYasha in the cheek, jerking his head violently.

"You … heard me, mongrel–ass," InuYasha strained to say, turning his head, despite Koga's fist still digging into his cheek. "You –"

"I knew this would happen," Kagome groaned. "SIT BOY!"

CRASH!

The students started to laugh. Their teachers hadn't even started class and all of a sudden they were at each other's throats.

"Kagome?! Why?" InuYasha moaned, face–down in the mud, while the students just stared at him with blank looks.

"You're supposed to set a good example here," Sango scolded him.

Miroku just sighed. "Such a simpleton."

"Hey, whose side are you on, huh?" InuYasha snapped, pushing himself off the ground.

Malfoy and Goyle were having the time of their lives watching this. "And to think I was worried," Malfoy laughed.

Finally, when all the laughing died down and order was established, InuYasha and Koga decided to split the class up into two groups. That way, each of them could teach the way they wanted to without interference from the other. Koga took the more nimble–looking ones, because his style would suit them better, and InuYasha took the bulkier looking ones, but he made sure Malfoy stayed with him and didn't follow Koga. There was a fair number on either side, although, to InuYasha's dismay, more students were taken by Koga. A good deal of the students who came out for their lesson were first and second years and didn't have a lot of muscle on them.

"Geez, why do I get so few to smack around?" InuYasha groaned under his breath, surveying the ten kids sitting before him, plus Malfoy and Goyle. "All right, then. I presume you all know what a punch is, right?"

No one spoke up.

"I ASKED YOU A QUESTION!" he shouted in frustration, punching the ground at his feet so hard it kicked up a cloud of dirt and dust that flew everywhere, leaving the student's new robes covered in dirt.

Still, no one spoke.

"All right, then I guess I'll just have to demonstrate. You," he said, pointing at Malfoy. "I've decided to make you my punching–ba … *ahem* … I mean, sparring partner for today. Now get up here before I come in there and drag you out here."

Not wanting to be manhandled again, Malfoy slowly stood up and approached InuYasha. Not wasting any time, InuYasha threw a fierce punch right at Malfoy's face, his fist stopping only an inch from his nose. Malfoy closed his eyes tightly, waiting for the impact, but it never came. He cracked one eye open to see InuYasha sticking his tongue out at him. "Nyah nyah!" he teased. "You actually thought I was gonna hit you just like that? Stupid. Now who's half–a–man?" He flicked Malfoy in the forehead. "If you want to be a real man, never look away. Take everything that comes at you with a straight face, open eyes, open arms, and closed fists. Understand?" Malfoy simply nodded nervously. InuYasha flicked him in the head again, harder this time. "I asked you a question, ya stupid jackass! When I ask a question, I expect to be answered with a 'Yes, sir.' I'll ask you this question once more: Do … you … understand?!" he snarled, his gold eyes flashing in the sun light.

"Y – y – yes, sir," Malfoy stuttered.

"Good," InuYasha said simply, patting him on the shoulder. "We might just make a man out of you yet. And by the way," he whispered. "You might want to change your pants when this is over, because pee–yew! I smell something funky down there. Heh heh!

"And that goes for the rest of you too. When I ask you a question, and you know the answer, tell me. I don't care who it is. Even if it's a silly question, I expect an answer from someone, because if I don't hear one, then I'm gonna think you guys are just plain stupid. And for your own sake, I hope I'm wrong about that.

"Now, what you saw a moment ago? That was a punch. A simple hit with a closed fist, right? Wrong," he said, pacing back and forth, his hands behind his back. "Punches can come in all kinds of shapes and from any direction at any given time. The same applies to kicks. If the warrior has enough talent, he can make multiple blows come from several different directions at the same time or in rapid succession. It's all a matter of his training. Everybody got that?"

"Yes, sir!" everyone said at once.

"Heh!" InuYasha smirked. "That's the spirit. That's what I want to hear. Now, let's see if you can convert that spirit into physical effort. You guys have been getting it easy all your lives, and I don't plan on repeating these classes next year or any year after that, so if you want to survive this war, you're gonna have to be as capable with your hands as possible. You can't rely on magic for SHIT if you don't have your wands! And you won't be able to, because from this moment on, the use of wands are strictly forbidden in my class. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

On the side lines, Kagome giggled. "I didn't know InuYasha could be this good a teacher. Mind you, he's not as good as Professor Springfield is, but still … I didn't know he had it in him."

"Neither did we," Miroku, Sango and Shippo said in unison. Even Myoga the flea, who was sitting silently on Miroku's shoulder, nodded in agreement.

"Damn right, Kagome!" InuYasha yelled, shooting her a thumbs–up. "There's a lot of stuff you don't know about me.

"All right," he said, turning back towards the small group of kids. "Let's see how your punches are. One at a time, I want you to come up here and show me your punch. That's right. I want you to punch me as hard as you can. I'm built differently so I can take it. To demonstrate, you!" He pointed at Malfoy and Goyle. "Both of you hit me as hard as you can, right now."

The two friends looked at each other and then him, not saying a word.

"What are you jackasses waiting for?!" InuYasha howled. "I told you to HIT ME!"

Not wanting to be yelled at again in front of the younglings, they both approached InuYasha.

"That's more like it," he sneered. "I won't try to dodge or block. Attack from any direction you –" But he didn't get to finish his sentence. Malfoy kicked him right in the groin at the same time as Goyle sucker punched him.

The half–demon stumbled backwards, barely able to stay on his feet, clutching his manhood. His face said it all. This was only the second time that Kagome ever saw tears in InuYasha's eyes. Finally, he collapsed, gasping for air. Malfoy and Golye were laughing so hard they could barely stand up either. Kagome was covering her eyes, Sango was shaking her head, and Miroku was saying "Shouldn't have done that, boys. Shouldn'ta done that." But the two of them weren't listening. They were laughing too hard.

"Sure showed him, huh?" Goyle guffawed loudly, mockingly holding his own balls. "He was like, 'Oh my balls!'"

"Good one, Goyle!" Malfoy nodded in satisfaction. "He really shouldn't talk big if he can't take it. Stupid son of a bi –"

"What?!"

Both men shuttered and trembled as they stiffly turned their heads back to look at InuYasha. He was back on his feet and red in the face, and his eyes flashing red. "What did you call me?!" he seethed with pure hatred in his voice.

But before the two stunned men could say anything, he'd closed the distance and pulled his fists back.

THOK! BWOK!

InuYasha punched them both right in the diaphragm with a pair of quick, hard fists that felt like solid metal as they struck home. Malfoy and Goyle sank to the ground heavily, heaving and choking.

"You two putzes think that's what real pain feels like? HUH?!" he growled in a low voice, all restraint gone now. "Anyone who insults my mother gets their throats ripped out! I'll show you what true pain is!" He turned his back on them, jumped high in air and took a slash at an enormous tree. It was the same tree he was impaled on only a week ago. "IRON REAVER SOUL STEALER!" He cut the tree down with a single punch. The tree hit the ground with an earth-shaking CRASH and a deafening THUD.

Everyone was stunned by the display of power and strength, especially Malfoy and Goyle.

"Well?" he demanded, pointing at the two pale men with his clawed fingers. "How do ya like me now? Just be grateful I'm in a good mood today, or that would've been you. You two are not really students anymore, so that means you're at my mercy. Remember that!" he roared. Malfoy and Goyle seemed to shrink back into the crowd, no longer wanting anything to do with this.

By the way he'd been shouting, everyone thought he would have gone hoarse by now, but InuYasha had a good set of lungs in him, and his voice's endurance at such high volumes was evidence of that.

Finally, InuYasha took a deep breath and calmed down. He turned to his remaining students and said, "Sorry about that little outburst. Now then, back to business. The rest of you form a line. I want you to walk up to me and give me the hardest punch you can muster. Understand?"

One by one, the students walked up to InuYasha. Without hesitation, he said, "1 … 2 … 3 … PUNCH!" and for the next 10 minutes, the students took turns punching him in the gut or the face. But no matter how many punches he took, InuYasha neither faltered nor flinched. He didn't even show any signs of pain. Not even a bruise appeared on his face. Most of the time, he didn't even blink.

* * *

Meanwhile, Koga had finished his introductory class and was leading his students out of the forest. Everyone was struggling to keep up with him. Even though he was only walking, with the two Sacred Jewel shards implanted in them, Koga's powerful legs proved difficult to keep pace with. "All right men, remember what I've taught you today."

"Hey Teach, there's a few women here too, you know," one of the few girls in the group called out.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. You get the idea," Koga waved that comment aside. "My point is, you've got a taste for what you've gotta know and do over the next year. Now I don't want you to get too scared. I like kids, so I won't let anything bad happen to you."

_SINCE WHEN!_ was the only thought on everyone else's mind. _That didn't stop him from kicking the heck out of us! "Whipping us into shape," he called it._ They only groaned in response.

"At the end of the day, if your body's sore from working hard, then that's the best thing you can ask for after a long day of training," he continued, not breaking stride, the others straggling behind him. "Just keep trying and one day you might even end up as strong as me. And when it comes time for you to defend yourselves, your friends and your families against whatever comes your way, don't look back. When I see that, by the armor on my chest and the fur on my shoulders, I'll be proud to call myself your teacher."

They finally cleared the edge of the forest to see InuYasha getting punched by all his students. "Heh. Always doin' it the hard way, that stupid mutt. Sit down, kiddies!" he told everyone. "This should make for some interesting entertainment."

_Hah!_ Several of his students thought, watching everyone punching InuYasha. _At least they get to do the punching!_

* * *

When everyone had had a turn, InuYasha surveyed them all with a piercing glare. They were all rubbing their knuckles and clutching their fists in pain. _Weaklings!_ he thought. "All right, time to put you to work. I want you to run!"

Nobody spoke, until fourth year boy one raised his hand.

"Run where, sir?" he asked with unexpected enthusiasm.

"Run where? Run where?!" InuYasha repeated in disbelief. "Look, we can't have you guys chickening out 'cause of exhaustion after throwing a single punch. Before we work on your strength, we gotta build up your stamina. I want you to run around this clearing until you can't run no more!"

"That's 'anymore', InuYasha," Kagome giggled.

"Whatever! Just start running before I start chasing you like I chased Kagome when we first met!" he shouted, charging forward and flashing his long, sharp claws. Everyone started running at once. It was pandemonium before long. People were slipping and sliding on the grass, bumping into each other, but every time someone would fall, InuYasha would look angrily down at them, not saying a word until they stood up and started running again.

* * *

"And you thought _I_ was being hard on you," Koga said, giving several of his students a look. "Heh. Perhaps that mutt's not too dumb after all. Maybe I should start doing something like that. After all, you're all going to have to work really hard to have the stamina to keep up with me."

* * *

Malfoy and Goyle were horrified. They'd never seen someone take punches like that without retaliating, or at least batting an eyelash. "This is insane, Draco," Goyle whispered. "This guy just can't be fazed by anything. Even a kick to the nuts doesn't slow him down."

"I know that, Goyle!" Malfoy fumed. "Blast! How do we get to him?"

"What do you mean?"

"Fool!" Malfoy snapped. "We will pay him out! The question is how to do it." He looked long and hard at InuYasha. Kagome was trying to wipe his brow with a handkerchief, but he just shrugged her aside and wiped his brow with the sleeve of his shirt or whatever it was, Malfoy didn't know, nor did he care. Suddenly, a smirk curled across his lips.

"Goyle."

"Yeah?"

"I think I know just how to do it."

"HEY!"

"Erk!" they stammered as they looked over and saw InuYasha pointing at them as he stalked over to them slowly.

"If you little fuckfaces don't get up and hustle, I'll be forced to do something I was planning not to do." InuYasha was keeping his voice down so as not to attract Kagome's or anyone else's attention.

"Oh? And what would that be?" Goyle asked him in his usual grunting voice.

"This." And InuYasha drew his foot back and kicked Malfoy so hard between his legs, he was sure Malfoy would have to wear special bandages down there for a long time, which brought a barely hidden sneer to his face. "And you too!" He repeated this punishment on Goyle. "That was for what you did to me back there, and for what you did to Shippo when you first got here."

Malfoy and Goyle were in too much pain to speak. They just collapsed to the ground, clutching their testicles, probably wondering if they'll ever be able to have kids one day.

InuYasha turned back to see Kagome eyeing him suspiciously. "InuYasha, what did you just do?" she demanded.

"Did you just –" Shippo tried to ask, but InuYasha slapped a hand over his mouth to shut him up.

"Revenge," he told them as he stormed by. "Revenge for me … and for you, Shippo!"

The young fox just looked at InuYasha as he walked away. Then he looked back at the two men on the ground, and cackled. _Serves them right._

After what seemed like forever, even though it was just 30 minutes, InuYasha yelled, "All right, that's enough with the running. Get back in that castle and hit the showers. You guys stink of sweat and B.O. And you smell like _shit_," he added, pointing at Malfoy, who just went red in the face.

"Goyle."

"Yes?"

"We'll do it tomorrow," he said in a fixed rage. "He'll regret what he's done to us." He was planning something sinister. InuYasha had made him live his worst nightmare: becoming a laughing stock in front those students younger than himself. After he was through, InuYasha would never recover. He would see to that.

* * *

I've always wanted to write that! Heh heh! Ever since I first read the first book, I knew Malfoy was no good, so I decided, after all the pain he's put Harry and his friends through, he deserved a little payback, InuYasha style, courtesy of your friendly neighborhood Grominator. Hope you all liked it! Did I do it right? Did I do it wrong? Should I have gone further? Did I go too far? Tell me, because I'd love to know what you all think.

Next chapter: It's dinner time at Evangeline's resort.


	41. Chapter 33: A Stunning Revelation

I'm still reeling from Malfoy's Worst nightmare. I hope this next chapter makes your face tingle, just like mine did when I went for Hibachi last night.

Okay. You know how we know that Professor Flitwick was an excellent duelist when he was young, but we never heard anything else about his past? Well, this is my first true use of editorial license.

* * *

A Stunning Revelation

When the staff and students finally arrived in the Great Hall for dinner that evening, they were very surprised to find that there was nothing on the tables. There were waves of voices filling the room, confused about the lack of food, and they continued until Negi took to the air and got everyone's attention with a flash of light that lit up every nook and cranny in the room.

"Attention, please!" he called. "I know you're all confused about the fact that no food has been laid out, but don't worry. I've planned something special tonight to celebrate a very successful first day of classes. If the Prefects would lead your houses, please follow the teachers and myself to the dungeons. Now don't worry, there's plenty of room for everyone. Professors, shall we?" And with that, he turned and headed out of the Great Hall and towards the grand staircase. This was one of the more curious parts of the castle. The staircases in this huge area tended to change positions and point in other directions, sometimes at the most annoying times. "Watch your step everyone," Negi called behind him, as he started down. "Don't lose your footing, or we'll all topple forward like a long line of dominoes. Heh." Most of the students just looked at each other. Dominoes was a Muggle game, so wizards didn't know of it.

"Kaede," he said over his shoulder. "You remembered to signal the ninja teams to join us, right?"

"Yup," Kaede smiled. "They said they'd meet us down in the dungeons."

When everyone reached the bottom of the stairs, Negi led the starving student body along a long labyrinth of corridors until he came to an empty room where Naruto and his friends awaited them, along with a series of five stands within an enormous magic circle. On each of the stands rested a large spherical bottle, each one housing something different. One held a spectacular palace easily 5 times the size of Hogwarts, and the others held what looked like the Amazon Jungle, the Sahara Desert, Antarctica, and Mount Everest. The teachers were even more confused now.

"Well, we're here," he said cheerfully.

"What is the meaning of this, Professor Springfield?" McGonagall demanded. "You expect me to believe that _this_ was our destination?"

"Yeah, this place doesn't seem like anything special," Naruto complained. "I mean, I've seen models like these all over the place. What's so special about these? And what's in that center orb … thing, a castle?"

"As for what's in there," Haruna laughed. "Only what to take with you."

"You'll see," Negi smiled mischievously. "Everybody, whenever you're ready follow me. Tonight, we will be dining on some fine cuisine never before served in this castle." With that, he stepped into the circle and disappeared. Everyone looked startled.

"He's gone!" a second year Slytherin boy exclaimed.

"Yes, but where?" Professor Sprout wondered aloud.

"This in unprecedented," squeaked Professor Flitwick. "I've never seen magic like this."

"That is interesting," Kakashi wondered aloud, lifting up his headband to reveal his Sharingan. Several people stared. _I don't blame them_, Kakashi thought. _They've never seen anything like this_. "I can't find him. It's as though he's disappeared from this world."

"Uh, Sensei? Could that be him?" Hinata asked meekly. She pointed to the miniature castle. When Kakashi leaned in closely, he could see a tiny person walking around near the castle gates.

Everyone just stood there, staring until Nodoka and the rest of Negi's girls stepped forward. "There's really nothing to be concerned about," Nodoka said gently. "He's not here anymore because he's in there now, and that's where we're going. Come on, now." They all turned around, stepped into the circle, and vanished. Again, there was mass shock.

"Well, what now?" asked Hagrid after a minute. "Do we follow them?"

"Well, the students are getting upset, and I'm becoming rather famished myself," Slughorn observed. "I guess anything's better than standing here." He took a deep breath and stepped over the circle's threshold. He vanished too. Slowly, one by one, the teachers did the same, followed by students, some of them really excited by the display of magic they'd just seen. As each one came through the gate on the other side, they found themselves on a round platform connected to the castle by a long narrow walkway that seemed to go on forever. Chachamaru met them at the platform, directing them to the star portal that would take them right to the castle. Evangeline had had them installed to eliminate the need to tire oneself out on the walkway.

When the teachers and students arrived at the front gate, they found Evangeline waiting for them. "What took you so long, boy?" she demanded of Negi. "The maids are getting restless. Satomi downloaded the files into their operating systems hours ago and everything has been ready for over an hour now."

"Uh, what program?" Harry asked, pushing his way to the front.

"What? Didn't he tell you?" Evangeline asked in surprise. "We're having teppanyaki tonight."

"What?" Harry and Ron said in unison.

"What's 'ten–pound–jacket'? Can you even eat that?" Ron said slowly.

Mass silence ensued. Negi looked stunned. He just stood there, jaw agape. He'd never heard such a mangling of the Japanese language.

Evangeline, however, was in hysterics. "Are you stupid or something?" she choked in–between fits of breathless giggles.

Hermione was giggling too. "You need more culturing, Ron. It's a form of Japanese cuisine cooked right in front of you in a sort of performance format. There're lots of flashy tricks put on display too. Right, Professor Springfield?"

"Yes, that's right, Mrs. Weasley," Negi smiled. "Though it's commonly called 'hibachi' in the English language, mostly due to the Americanization of the word. Trust me, you'll love it. The first time I had it at Mahora in its Motherland of Japan, I thought I was in heaven. The blending of the meats, rice, and noodles with that blend of sauces tastes just perfect." He was starting to blush now, he was in such ecstacy. Everyone started to get excited.

Negi and his girls herded everyone to a grand terrace with a spectacular view of the dense jungleland around the castle. Harry and his friends felt so overwhelmed. One minute, they were in the lowest levels of Hogwarts, and a moment later they were at the foot of a gargantuan castle. They couldn't have taken in all the amazing scenery even if they could look everywhere at once. "Impressive, isn't it?" Evangeline asked them all proudly. "Welcome to Lebens Schuld Castle. I made it my own in the 19th Century when I moved it here. It's amazing the things you learn when you're immortal." Everyone looked at her like she was some kind of god.

"All right, all right everyone," Negi interrupted. "Please make your way to any of these tables you see along this stretch. Feel free to sit anywhere you like. Teachers, you're with me and the girls at this long table over there."

Sakura giggled. "Just like a real teacher."

"How rude!" Negi snapped, taking exception to her words. "I _am_ a real teacher."

* * *

When everyone reached their tables, they noticed that they had actually been turned into large iron griddles surrounded by small wood eating surfaces, complete with large plates, utensils, and for those who used them, sets of chopsticks. Beside each griddle was a long cart with all the meat and fish anyone could ever eat, along with large mounds of raw noodles and rice, as well as containers of sauces. At each table, stood a tall girl with long hair that had the same kind of face as Chachamaru. Chachamaru herself took her place at the table where Negi and the teachers sat.

"Oooh, I can't wait," Kagome squealed, rubbing her hands together in excitement, then put them to her cheeks, which were tingling with anticipation. "Real food at last. I can't remember the last time I had teppanyaki. You're going to love this, guys," she told her friends. Shippo looked hungry enough to eat anything right now.

* * *

At Negi's table, Nodoka was telling Yue all about Negi's first class. "He totally sounded like a philosopher, talking about points of view regarding the nature of dark magic. You would have been proud, Yue."

"If you say so," Yue said in her usual dull voice. "Perhaps I should start sitting in on his classes instead of reading in the library."

"What do you mean?" Hermione interrupted, taking her seat next to them and Haruna. "Reading is fun. You can never learn enough about magic."

"That's true," Nodoka nodded. "But you can learn more in practice than in theory. I love to read, don't get me wrong, but it's a whole different experience altogether to hear Professor Negi speak."

"And that it was," Hermione agreed with her.

* * *

Finally, it was time for dinner to begin. First, Negi went from table to table, tapping the griddles with his staff. Instantly, they were searing hot. "Extremely hot. Don't touch if you want to keep the feeling in those hands of yours," he told everyone in turn. "I leave it to you ladies," he said, bowing to the chefs, Chachamaru and her sisters, along with Satsuki and Chao, who each bowed back, turned to the griddles, and started their works of culinary art. They started with a very elaborate juggling of the spatulas and other cooking utensils, some of the robot sisters doing it at incredible speeds. After two minutes of that, a couple of different oils were mixed on the griddle and then lit, resulting in a fair–sized pyro flame that shocked many. Even Professors Slughorn and McGonagall were shielding their eyes as the heat seemed to slap their faces.

Next, they balanced eggs on their spatulas, and after tossing them in the air, split them in mid–air and rolled them up as soon as they hit the griddle. "Egg _rolls_," they joked as they chopped them up. Then, it was time for the food to really start flowing. First came the rice, expertly mixed in the sauces, mixed vegetables and the eggroll pieces, which had been by now cooked to perfection, plus a little saké for flavor. "Careful, it's very hot," they all warned the eager–to–eat students as they rationed equal amounts and served them to their diners' waiting plates. Without pausing, the many chefs went right for the yakisoba noodles, deftly transferring them from the food carts beside the tables to the griddles without a single noodle dropped. A little rinse and repeat, and the noodles were sizzling in large mounds.

"And now," they grinned, each reaching for an onion. They tossed them into the air and in a flash of stainless steel, every onion was sliced into several ring–shaped pieces, each a little wider than the last, but only by a bit. Both end pieces landed off to the side and the other pieces landed one on top of each other, forming the shape of a tiny mountain. A few squirts of oil into the center and a small flame held up to the mountain and a huge flame lit up the griddle. They had made miniature volcanoes out of sliced onions! A few squirts of water from a rather silly–looking squirt doll, the onions were chopped again, extra quick as to avoid any tear–inducing fumes, and finally, they were mixed into the noodles and served just as expertly as the rice.

In no time at all, half of each plate on every table was covered. But without waiting long, each chef ran through the different meats with their diners, which included chicken, pork, steak, shrimp, scallops, fish and lobster, and after everybody picked one, they flipped the meats onto the large metal grill, said, "Feel free to enjoy the rice and noodles. They should be just the right temp by now," and started cooking, treating each side of the meat before flipping it over. While doing this, they even had enough time to start juggling pieces of shrimp and catching them in their breast pockets. "Whoa!" everyone said in awe at their mad food skills. Finally, all the meat was cooked, cut up into little pieces, and distributed, and it was time to enjoy a dinner unlike any other.

* * *

"You see?" Kagome giddily asked InuYasha, Miroku, Sango and Shippo through a mouthful of noodles. "I told you there was nothing like it!"

Shippo couldn't answer. He had stars in his eyes, he was in such elation.

"Delicious," Sango replied with glee over her plate of fish. "You really know your stuff, huh?" she said to Satsuki, who had prepared their meals.

"Thank you," Satsuki bowed in gratitude. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"I agree," Negi said as he came up from behind them and tapped the table with his staff, immediately shutting off the heat. With another tap, the griddle was gone, leaving a plain table in its wake.

Shippo even ventured so close as to touch it. "Cool as ordinary wood. How'd you do that?"

"It's a trade secret," he grinned at the young fox child as he continued going from table to table, putting out their flames and reducing them to nothing more than mere tables.

"What do you think, InuYasha?" Miroku asked his friend, who was busy shoveling pieces of steak into his mouth, pausing only to chew or to take a drink of water.

"Mmmph umph mmmhn," was all he could say in–between mouthfuls.

Everyone just laughed. Kagome could barely keep her food in her mouth, she was laughing so hard. Suddenly, she felt a cold hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Professor Trelawney hovering over her left side.

"My dear," she said in a trembling voice. "I'm afraid …"

"Afraid?" Kagome echoed, swallowing heavily. "'Afraid' what?"

"You're in …" Trelawney breathed, just barely above a whisper. "… grave danger."

"_What_?!" InuYasha seethed, gulping down his food, and putting his greasy hands on her, grabbing her robes by the neck. "How'd you like to be in danger you old hag?!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.

_BANG!_

Professor McGonagall's Impediment Jinx was headed straight for InuYasha's head. He saw it coming and managed to bring up the Tetsusaiga's sheath in time to block the spell, but the recoil knocked him backward, sending him sailing into the air towards one of the tables.

"No!" Negi shouted. "I haven't fixed that one yet!"

But it was too late.

InuYasha hit the last hibachi table butt–first. "YOWWWWWWWWWW! HOT! HOT! HOT! HOTTTTTTTTTT! MY ASS IS ON FIRRRRRRE!" he screamed as he bounce around the floor on his butt, screaming even louder each time. "OW! OWWW! OWWWWWW!" he cried with every bounce.

Kagome laughed so hard she almost dropped her plate. Shippo was in such hysterics, he felt his face was going to freeze. Sango was giggling so hard she had to hold onto Miroku for support, who was in the same state as she, too hysterical to even try and fondle her bum.

* * *

An hour later, when everyone had been well fed and all the scraps had been cleared, and everyone was enjoying frivolous after–dinner conversation, Negi got their attention by taking to the air again. "I hope everyone enjoyed their supper?" The cheering that ensued definitely reassured him. That is until he dropped the bombshell. "However, I regret to inform you that none of us may leave this castle for another 21 hours."

Before anyone could start complaining, Kotaro joined him in the air, having turned his Inugami spirits into churning wheels of black fire, which hovered by his feet, allowing him to fly. "But don't worry. Every 24 hours in here is only an hour in the outside world. You won't miss a thing, because tonight won't even be over yet." He was met with a torrent of sighs of relief. "In the meantime, there's plenty here to keep you occupied."

"He's right," Konoka beamed, floating up beside him, sitting side–saddle on a broomstick. "There's lots of spa treatments here in the palace, all courtesy of the Chachamaru sisters. We've got full–body oil massages, sauna baths, hot springs, and so much more, you'll want to stay longer, just to experience it all."

"Chachamaru, would you kindly arrange a tour for everyone?" Negi asked, touching back down.

"Certainly, Professor," the robot girl bowed politely. "Everyone, if you'd split up into groups, my sisters and I will show you around," she said, turning towards the large crowd.

As the procession set off to explore the castle, Professor Flitwick pulled Negi aside. "Professor Springfield, might I have a word? It's important … _very_ important." Without waiting for an answer, he pulled Negi past the threshold of the castle, past a couple of the groups, including InuYasha's group and Naruto's group and into one of the inner sanctums.

"What's all this about, Professor?" Negi protested as soon as Flitwick let go of his arm.

But Flitwick wasn't listening. He seemed to be fumbling with something he was trying to remove from the inner folds of his robes. Finally, he produced what looked like an elaborately–marked passport. "This is my passport from back when I came to this world. I haven't told anyone about this since Professor Dumbledore. Professor Springfield … I came from the Magic World. I came from Mundus Magicus … just like your mother and father."

"Wh – wh – wh – what?!" Negi faltered nervously, still in shock from the sudden confession. "What did you say?"

"I said I'm not from this world," Flitwick went on. "I'm from your mother and father's world. And furthermore …" he said, flipping through the passport. "I think you should know, Filius Flitwick is not my real name." He stopped at the last page and showed Negi the photograph. It showed him just as he was: short, with short black hair and a neat mustache.

"I don't understand," Negi said in confusion. "That's clearly you."

"Yes," he slowly nodded. "But there's more …" He flipped to the first page of the passport and showed Negi the first photo to be entered into the small booklet.

What Negi saw in that passport made his heart stop for several seconds.

* * *

What has Negi seen? What is Professor Flitwick's dark secret? And how could it be so unspeakable that he never told anyone about except Professor Dumbledore? Find out next time on Harry Potter and the New Threat!

Unfortunately, Finals are upon me, and they're all papers, which will more than likely put my brain on TEMPORARY SHUT DOWN for a while, so I'm going to have to put this fic on a hopefully brief hiatus until Finals week is over, and I'm able to start writing the next chapter while trying to find a job / internship with the Anime News Network. Start checking back after the 23rd. That's my graduation day.


	42. Update

Hi all. Sorry for the overextended absence.

I've been looking for a career job ever since graduation, which I did not expect to take up nearly 80% of my limited attention span. Just keeping up with my anime reading and watching took up the last 20%. I just finished Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's season 2 tonight for anyone who's interested. I don't see why everyone always blasts 4Kids. Yeah, they chop it up and mess up with a lot of monster names sometimes, but hey, what can ya do? If you prefer dub, you just have to deal with it.

Anywhoooooo, as you read this, I'm trying to come up with the right way to structure the next chapter, but I'm giving myself a limited time to do it. I should have it done by the beginning of the week. You won't have to long to wait for chapters once I get my act together. As for that "evil" cliff hanger … let's just say it'll seem like nothing compared to the plot twist at this chapter's climax. Trust me ... it'll be worth the wait.

Now then, I need to get back to work. I need to start writing more than one cover letter a day, starting now.

Peace out. Wish me luck on the job front, because today's market is against me!

P.S. - I've also added to Dumbledore's Army vs the One–Man–Army chapter. I'm adding Yuna Akashi. She will help to add / enhance the future chapters.


	43. Chapter 34: The Truth

First of all, I just want to thank everyone for their patience. You've all been extremely patient with me over the past two months, and it was more than I deserved. I've been trying to get writing and editing jobs over the last month and a half, and have failed every process I've tried up till now. Oh well. Just shows there's something(s) I'm not doing right, so I'll just have to learn from my mistakes. And I think it's time for a certain someone(s) to learn a terrifying truth. This chapter has been weeks/months in the making. I hope you enjoy it.

**Updated: 10/7/12**

* * *

The Truth

By the time each and every last group has been given a thorough tour of the castle and brought back to a balcony over looking the enormous jungle waterfall, Negi still hadn't returned from his rendezvous with Professor Flitwick. His students were getting worried.

"Where the Hell is Negi?" Asuna kept asking every several minutes.

"I don't know," Chachamaru said flatly. "He disappeared in the confusion earlier."

"Well, that figures," Chisame scoffed, adjusting her thick, round glasses. "That brat is always wandering off on his own. Forget about it. He'll come back on his own."

"What did you say, computer nerd?!" Ayaka fumed, grabbing Chisame by her top. "Oh, what's the point?" she said almost immediately, dropping Chisame on her butt. "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have let Professor Springfield out of my sight. Who knows what could have happened?"

"Maybe he just went to the bathroom," Makie and Yuna brainstormed out–loud.

"_WHAT?!_" Ayaka exclaimed, completely stunned at their carefree attitude. "I expected the usual stupidity from Makie, but _you_, Yuna? I thought you would be smarter than that, and you weren't! You're just as big a failure as Makie!"

"Ahh! Crushed," was all the two girls could say before spiraling into a pit of depression. Their best friend, Akira Okochi, who had been quietly sitting on the wall with her feet dangling over the edge, watching the waterfall, walked over and put her arm around Makie and Yuna and lead them away, probably to console their hurt feelings.

"When did she get here?" Ayaka asked in a confused manner.

"She's, um, been here from the very start," Nodoka told her in a shaky voice.

"WHAT?!" Ayaka screamed. "How could he pick _her_, the quiet one, to bring with him over _me_, the Class President?! It just doesn't make sense."

"Oh, shut _up_, prima dona! Maybe he picked Akira because _she_ doesn't cling to him like you do 24/7!" Asuna grabbed Ayaka by the ear and dragged her aside. "Negi'll come back. He always does."

That, Negi did. Only it was not in the way that they had been expecting. He came floating out of the shadowy entrance to the balcony about an inch above the floor, completely unconscious. Behind him, keeping him aloft, was the diminutive Professor Flitwick, who was looking very distressed.

Unfortunately for Flitwick, Ayaka was the first to see. The sound of her voice was ear–piercing. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY DARLING PROFESSOR SPRINGFIELD, YOU LITTLE IMP?!"

"Agh!" Flitwick cringed, holding his ears, causing Negi to drop down to the floor with a THUMP! "That hurts," he blurted out, taking his hands off his ears. "Calm down, please! He's fine. The boy just fainted while we were talking. All he needs is to lie down and rest. Now I must go and talk with Miss McDowell."

"Well, here she is," said a voice. "Now what going on here? Feel free to start with the passed out boy here or the crying jags back there." Everyone turned to see a young woman with very long blond hair walking towards them, wearing a similar outfit to Evangeline, but she was clearly too old to the little vampire girl they all knew.

"Um …" Flitwick started, taken aback by the appearance of the stunning young lady.

"All right, who the heck are you, and what do you mean, 'Here she is'?" Ayaka demanded, not missing a beat, unlike Flitwick. "Where's Evangeline? You can't fool me, Ayaka Yukihiro, former Class President of Class 3–A."

"Oh shut up already," the woman said impatiently, dismissing Ayaka boasts with of her arm. "You're as much a bore as that brainless Asuna girl." Se swept back her long blond hair and sighed. "I guess it can't be helped, seeing as you're her best friend."

"Harrumph!" Ayaka was livid. "And what on Earth would make you think that?! Huh, you stupid bitch!"

With a quick POOF, the young woman disappeared, and the pint–sized Evangeline took her place. "Sure you don't want to take that back, 'Pres'?" she smirked in a nothing–short–of–amused way. "After all, I've been watching you and Asuna for years. I know more than you take me for. How could I not know how to tell these things, living for over 500 years?"

Ayaka was flabbergasted. The entire time, she'd been talking to Evangeline, not only her former classmate who she had respected, but as the owner of this very castle and everything surrounding it. "Oh. Um. Uh. Eva, I'm, I'm so sorry. I didn't know it was you." She bowed low in apology.

"Heh. Forget about it, girl," she dismissed it right away. "Anyway, you girls should go ahead and hit the hot springs with everyone else before you go to bed. I don't want my palace smelling in the morning. Meanwhile, the midget and I are going to have a little discussion in my private quarters."

A chill ran up Filius Flitwick's spine. This was the first time anyone had ever referred to him as such a vulgar name, but he didn't protest. He knew how dangerous Evangeline was, and didn't dare talk back to her – better to keep her in as benign a mood as possible. Although he was a little uncomfortable about what she meant by "private quarters," but nonetheless he followed her into the hallways of her castle while the girls made their way down to the forest floor, where Evangeline's personal jungle hot spring was located. "And don't worry," she called over her shoulder to the other girls. "The boys won't be getting their turn till morning, and I've posted lookouts around the perimeter. There won't be any peeping at naked girls tonight."

* * *

Before long, Evangeline and Flitwick arrived at the same room where Flitwick and Negi had had their conversation. Flitwick was about to say, "These are your private quarters?" when Evangeline told him that every room in the castle could be considered her private quarters. He could've kicked himself.

The girl pulled up a chair, sat down, lifted one leg over the other, and stared intently at Flitwick, far more intently than she'd ever looked at Negi during one of his classes. "All right, spill it," she demanded. "I want to know everything you told the boy. And don't hide anything. If you do, I _will_ know and I _will_ get it out of you," she finished flashing her fangs.

_I've got no choice_, he thought with a sigh. He took out his old passport and began his tale.

* * *

Meanwhile, in another section of the castle, a bunch of the men were just sitting and sharing stories, some new, some old. Most of the male students had already gone off to bed.

"SAY WHAT?!" That was all Lee and Guy could say as Naruto finished telling them about what he'd heard Negi say in the bath just a few days earlier.

"I said, 'That ten–year–old has kissed over a dozen girls'," Naruto repeated himself.

"You're absolutely sure he said that?" asked an astounded Miroku, who couldn't believe what he'd just overheard.

"Guh … guh …" Guy stuttered.

"How does he do it?" Lee started wondering out–loud.

"This is insane," Guy said with his head in his hands. "This kid is cooler than Kakashi."

"Huh, excuse me, Guy?" Kakashi looked in his direction.

"Nothing!" he said in a mixture of defense and panic.

"What is his secret? How can we find out?" Lee ventured. "We cannot just up and ask him."

"Well, we know it's not his body," Guy declared in a self–assured way. "He's still a kid. He can't be that anything that impressive."

"Well then, Guy," Kakashi winked at him. "Try attending one of his classes, and then try saying that again, or you can just ask Lee and Neji. They've both witnessed his teaching skills, his brilliance, and even a touch of his power. As have I."

"What?! But you never told me that!"

"Hmph. That's a laugh," Kotaro huffed from the corner, where he'd been talking to Ed and Al, trying to decide whose past had been harder. "The only thing more impressive than that boy is his family."

"What's so great about his family?" Guy retorted defensively. "What could be so great about them that they could be cooler than me, the man who's beaten Kakashi 50 out of less 99 times?"

"That few?" was all Kotaro could say in response. "Negi's dad and his best friend fought each other nearly 1000 times."

"Really?" Kakashi broke in, now interested. "What were their matches like?"

"What do you mean 'What were their matches like?'? Straight fights. Nothing fancy about them."

"And the record?" Lee gulped.

"His dad won 499, and the other guy won 498. Yeah, it's kind of a surprise they never killed each other."

"SAY WHAT?!" Guy and Lee spat out at the same instant. Even Kakashi was wide–eyed.

"Cool," InuYasha couldn't help but comment. "And his mother?"

"A queen."

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!"

This time, nearly all of the men in the room were in on the yell. Harry, Ron, Neville, George, Lee, Seamus, and Dean had joined in. Even Malfoy and Goyle turned to look over at the sudden outburst.

"A q–q–q–queen?!" stuttered Ron.

"Then that makes him …" Harry started slowly.

"As far as I'm concerned, an honest–to–God prince," Kotaro finished for him.

"Blimey," Ron said to Harry. "That explains why he beat us … why he's so strong!"

"Hah," Malfoy huffed under his breath. "I still don't see what's so great about him."

"You mean other than the fact that he kicked your good–for–nothing ass with one hit," InuYasha shot back at him. "Plus, he _and_ this kid both scared you so bad you could have pissed and shitted yourself at the same time. In fact, it's a wonder you held it in. You sure couldn't do it when I pretended to punch you earlier this afternoon, or need I remind you?"

Everyone laughed. Even Goyle was choking back a chuckle.

Malfoy snorted. "Shut up, freak! You know you can't beat me unless you go below the belt."

"Oh, really?" This time, InuYasha sounded dead serious, as if the next person to look at him weirdly would get his head violently ripped off. "Funny. Could've sworn I took you both down with one punch each. Then how 'bout we go right now? I'd even fight you with my fangs alone, and you still wouldn't be able to force me to my knees. Oh and by the way, your friend punches like a sissy, and you kick like a little girl!

"By the way, Miroku, I'll bet you 10 pieces of gold I can make this loser piss and crap himself both in the same day."

"Knowing you, InuYasha, you probably could, and probably in the first minute," his friend winked. "But you'd better not let Kagome hear you say that!"

The insults went on for several minutes before Malfoy stood up and stormed out with a swirl of his cloak, Goyle at his heels.

"Hah! Who da demon?!"

"Heh, remind me never to get on his bad side," Naruto laughed.

"You said it," Kotaro laughed. "Never mess with us half–demons, 'cause we got the best of both worlds. You da demon, Brother!"

"Damn straight," InuYasha concurred, clapping him on the shoulder.

* * *

"Hm. I guess I should've seen that coming," Evangeline laughed in spite of herself. The conversation between her and Flitwick was just getting good.

"What do you mean?"

"You just changed your last name when you first came to this world, huh?" she licked her lips. "Just couldn't leave that identity behind, could you?"

"No, I couldn't," he agreed. "I just couldn't bring myself to run away from my failure."

"But that's not all," Evangeline stopped him. "That explains one change of identity, but not the first. _That_ photograph is only the second of the set of _three_, and don't try to hide it with your hand. I can tell."

"What do you … mean?"

"You know perfectly well what I mean," she snapped. "I can tell from that look on your face that you're hiding the most important factor in your story from me, and yet you told the boy, didn't you? Well fine, then. Don't say it. I already have a good hunch as to what that first identity of yours could have been. What through your head back then, going through what you have, doing what you've done?"

Flitwick took a deep breath. "You're wrong. And the things 'I did' weren't really done by me. I guess I need to really start from the beginning."

"You were making no sense just a moment ago, but now I'm starting to see where this is going. Heh. I knew I sensed you were hiding something from me right from the get go. That start of yours was too phony not to be concealing some secret."

"So you figured it out, eh?"

"I've got my theories. All that's left is for you to tell me the whole truth.

"After all, you looked too much like him back then. Well, let's hear it."

* * *

"Nodoka, snap out of it already," Haruna said to her friend as they settled into the hot waters of the jungle onsen. Japanese hot springs, or onsen, always have a little area with running water to wash and cleanse the body that must be used first, whereas the springs themselves are for relaxation, and the girls knew if they got an ounce of soap in the spring, Evangeline would literally chew them up and spit out their bones. While they were lathering and rinsing they bodies, the book–loving girl seemed to be off in another world. She had just been staring off into space ever since they'd spoken to Flitwick before Evangeline had sent them away. "What's wrong with you?"

"I don't know, Haruna," Nodoka confessed. "I –"

"There's nothing wrong with her if she's worried about Professor Springfield."

They all turned to see Kagome, Sango, Sakura and Hinata coming towards them through the dense jungle mist.

"Yeah," Sakura said in agreement with Kagome's words as they sat down to rinse off. "Like it's ever wrong to worry about the man you love. Right Hinata?"

Hinata was right in the middle of lathering her hair, and was so surprised she got a fair bit of shampoo in her eyes. "H–huh," she stammered, rinsing her eyes thoroughly. "Oh, uh, yes. L–love has no right and wrong."

The talking continued for several minutes, but during the commotion, Nodoka slowly retreated to the far side of the water. She reached behind her ear and pulled out her pactio card, holding it in front of her, gazing at it, as if in a daze. _Negi_, she thought. _What happened to you?_ "He's unconscious," she whispered to herself. "But maybe if I use this …"

"Nodoka."

In her surprise, Nodoka dropped the card into the water as she turned around to find Kagome and Sango crouching over her.

"May we join you?" Sango asked politely, sitting on the rim of the spring beside the flustered girl. "I think we should talk."

"Oh, um, well s–s–sure," Nodoka stammered.

"But first," Kagome started as she removed her towel and settled into the piping hot water. "Wasn't that a card you dropped a moment ago?"

"Huh? OH!" Nodoka gasped and began scanning the clear waters of the spring, looking for her pactio card until she finally found it, having drifted slowly down and settled near her left thigh. With a sigh of relief, she lifted it out of the water to find it completely undamaged. "You know girls, all the time I had this card, I had no idea it was waterproof."

All three girls giggled.

"Uh hey, can I see your card?" Kagome asked her, and Nodoka handed her the card. Both Kagome and Sango just sat there, looking it over. "This is cool. This design is entirely different from Negi – I mean, Professor Negi's card."

"Kagome," Nodoka said kindly. "There's no need to be so formal. Outside the classroom, he's just Negi to us."

"Wait. Does this mean you kissed him?"

"Mm–hm. I was his second pactio, after Asuna."

"Anyway, what ability does this card have?" Sango said, cutting to the chase.

"Well, when I use my artifact, an enchanted picture diary, I can actually read people's minds. All I have to do is ask them a question, using their name, and everything they're thinking appears in its pages. Of course, they have to be aware of my presence for the question part to work. If I just say their name and open the book, whatever the person is thinking of at the moment will appear."

"Really?" Kagome had stars in her eyes. "Can you show us?"

"W–well, okay. Adeat." The card in Nodoka's hand suddenly became a book.

"Whoa. Just like Negi's," Kagome observed with wide eyes. Sango was speechless, so she just watched with interest.

"Professor Negi," Nodoka chanted as she opened the book. With a flash of light, a whole mess of words appeared on the page. "What? But he's unconscious, isn't he? This doesn't make sense," she said in confusion, showing them the book.

"Maybe he's having a nightmare or something," Sango guessed, looking at the seemingly random ramble inscribed on the diary's pages.

"Wait a minute," Kagome interrupted. "I think I see something. Quick, turn the page … There! Read that." She pointed to the center of the page.

"It's about his conversation with Professor Flitwick. Hmm. Fate … Averruncus?" Nodoka said in confusion and surprise. "But what could he have to do with …?" But she couldn't finish her sentence. She just stared at the bottom of the page in horror. "Oh, my God." Written on the bottom of the right page, were the words, "He IS Fate!"

Kagome and Sango both looked at the words in bewilderment as Sango took the book from Nodoka's outstretched hands. "He … is Fate?" Sango recited under her breath.

"What does that mean?" Kagome ventured, completely baffled.

"Hmm." Sango scanned the pages in silence for several seconds. Finally, she closed the book and handed it back to Nodoka. "Whatever it means, I don't think we should jump to conclusions yet. We should talk to him when he wakes up."

Nodoka still looked like she had seen a ghost; not one of the Hogwarts ghosts. She'd grown quite used to them popping up at a moment's notice. This was like seeing a ghost far scarier. Her voice was trembling as she spoke the word and returned the artifact to card form.

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of seeing that," Kagome sighed as she once again took the card in her hands. "Almost makes me want one of my own."

* * *

"Ah ha! I know what I just heard. I was right about that one, and in more ways than one. I knew I recognized a D–cup when I saw one. Ha ha!" Chamo laughed. In all of the commotion with Evangeline and Flitwick, he had somehow seized Negi's prone body and had dragged him down to the hot spring with him to spy on the girls while they bathed. "She _is_ askin' for a pactio. Now all there is is to figure out how to do it."

Suddenly, a stone came flying through the bushes at a high velocity. One of the girls must have sensed something. _Probably Sango_, he thought as he pulled Negi's face in front of him to block the stone. It struck the boy right between the eyes and still he did not wake up. _Whew, good thing I thought to take him with me. Never thought I'd be using Negi as a human shield, but as long as he's out cold like this, who cares?_

"All right, who's in there?!" he heard Sango call into the brush where he was hiding. "Come on out."

His objective completed, Chamo was about to make his hasty retreat when he felt a large mass press him to the ground. It felt like a really strong hand. The hand slowly picked him up by his neck fat.

"What do you think you're doing, rat?" InuYasha growled in Chamo's face as he lifted him up to face him. But before Chamo could answer, InuYasha was hit in the face with a larger stone and dropped the ermine to the ground.

With his other hand covering his nose, he reflexively stood up and shouted at the top of his voice, "THAT HURT, DAMMIT!" Finally, he realized where he was. All the girls in the spring were clutching their towels and glaring at him, and Sango and Kagome were absolutely livid.

"InuYashaaa …" Kagome started, a large vein appearing on her forehead.

"Kagome, wait," InuYasha tried to coax her, throwing his hands up in defense, only now realizing that Chamo was no longer in his hand. "I know what you're thinking, and this is just a big misunderstanding."

"Oh is it, Mr. I'm–Above–Peeking–At–Naked–Girls?" she seethed, stepping out of the water and onto the bank, her eyes seeming aglow.

"I swear," he pleaded desperately. "That rat, he was …"

"What rat? Where?" Sango interrupted, looking around. "I see no rat, just an over–sized dog with no idea what he's gotten himself into."

"I promise I didn't come here to peep. I was just …"

"**SIT BOY!**"

The clearing was soon filled with the sound of InuYasha's face hitting the ground.

* * *

As Chamo ran back through the woods towards the castle, his ermine magic tugging Negi's limp body behind him, he couldn't help feeling sorry for InuYasha. "Oh well," he disregarded the half–demon's plight. "The guy should've been prepared to make a hasty retreat, like I was." He thought he was home free, when a shrill yell penetrated the entire area.

"CHAMOOOOOOO!" It was Asuna's voice.

"Oh crap," Chamo cursed his luck, now kicking it into high gear.

He rounded a tree to find Asuna and Ayaka towering over him. "I thought I smelled a rat. It _was_ you after all," Asuna said through gritted teeth. "I should've known. That InuYasha guy may be an idiot, but this time, he was innocent, wasn't he?"

"Uh, um, now girls, I can explain," he tried to defend himself. "I–I was just …"

"And just what is Professor Springfield doing with a bloody face?" Ayaka raged.

"Uh, what bloody face?"

"_That_ bloody face!" They both pointed at Negi, who was bleeding lightly from the stone that had struck him.

"Not only do you drag Negi down here to do your perverted activities …" Ayaka fumed.

"You use him as a human shield to protect yourself!" Asuna screamed, launching a flurry of fists aimed at Chamo's head. But no matter how she punched, Chamo kept pulling Negi in front of him.

"Stop hiding … behind Negi … and take … your punishment!" Asuna yelled between punches, until a fist suddenly hit her in the face.

"Will you _stop_ hitting Professor Springfield, you stupid monkey–girl?!" Ayaka shrieked as she grabbed Asuna by her towel. "Can't you see what you're doing isn't working?!"

"Shut up, you!" Asuna spat back in her face. "You got any better ideas?"

"Yeah, this!" Ayaka took Asuna's towel in one hand, and her arm in the other and twisted her in some crazy throw to send her to the floor, but Asuna grabbed Ayaka's foot, effectively sending both girls to the ground. They were both soon in an old fashioned scuffle, rolling around on the ground trying to get at each other, their towels flying in different directions, completely forgotten.

Snickering to himself, Chamo turned around to take a different route back to the castle when he was picked up again. This time it was a woman's hand.

"You're not getting away that easy, little ermine," laughed a calm voice.

"You is causing quite a ruckus back there," said another.

Chamo slowly looked up at the faces of Kaede Nagase and Fei Ku, and gulped hard. These two girls may have been in the Dummy Force, but there was no getting past them in a situation like this. Without struggling, the white ermine resigned himself to his fate as the two girls carried him and Negi back toward the hot springs to sort things out, leaving Asuna and Ayaka to work things out amongst themselves, which was probably going to take awhile.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kagome's string of sit commands was still going strong, the girl only pausing for a breath after every five or ten sits. InuYasha was sinking deeper and deeper into the ground. In fact, the other girls were certain that if this kept up, he might crash right into another hot spring.

Finally, Kagome finished with such a huge sit command, everyone was sure they saw the cloud of dust go over the top of the crater the boy was in the center of. For several seconds, she just stood there breathing hard, as if daring InuYasha to get up again, but he didn't.

All the other girls just stared at Kagome in amazement. Not even Sakura had ever PMS'ed on someone like that. Not even Naruto. "She just sat him 79 times."

"Hmm. That many?" Sango wondered. "I lost count at about 46."

"Better than me," Makie, who'd just arrived in time to see what happened. "I lost count at around 33."

It was then that Kaede and Fei Ku appeared out of the forest, holding a sulking Chamo and the still–unconscious, and now battered Negi. It didn't take long for Kaede to explain what had really happened to Kagome, who was completely taken aback when she finally fully realized what she'd done. InuYasha had been an innocent victim who had simply gotten caught doing someone else's crime.

When Nodoka asked where Asuna and Ayaka were, Kaede and Fei Ku just looked at each other and smiled. "They just catching up on old times," Fei Ku laughed.

"More like 'old fights'," Kaede laughed even harder.

While everyone just looked at each other in confusion, Kaede gently laid Negi out on the ground and tapped his cheeks three times. "Wake up, sleepy head," she whispered in his ear.

Negi's eyes were slow to open, but when they did, he bolted up so quickly, he got dizzy and went down all over again.

"Ha ha, easy tiger," Makie giggled as she bent over him. "You've been out for quite a while."

"Huh? Makie? Kaede?" Negi breathed as he slowly straightened up. "Where am I? What's going on? Why are you both … naked?" He finally saw where he was, and more importantly, all the naked girls looking at him with concern in their eyes. "Wah! What happened?! What am I doing here?! I'm sorry!" he tried to cover his eyes right away, but Kaede soothed him down.

"It's all right, Professor," she said calmly. "You've been through a lot in the last few hours. Why don't you take off those dirty clothes, settle down for a nice bath, and tell us what happened from the start. Tell us all about it."

Negi sighed a long deep breath and slowly took his hands away from his eyes. "You're right. I'll tell you everything. You all have a right to know. I already suspect Nodoka already knows a bit about what's going on?"

"N–not really, Professor," Nodoka shook her head. "We only know a few assorted things. Your entire mind was in chaos. It was impossible to make anything of it."

"Oh? So you did try to read my mind without my permission, did you?" he looked at her. Nodoka just blushed.

"Well that figures." Negi looked down at his feet. "I may as well get started."

"Lovely," Kaede clapped her hands together. "But first, girls!" And before Negi knew what had happened, he had been stripped down, scrubbed head to toe in a flurry of groping hands, and thrown into the spring.

"What was that for?" he coughed as he surfaced.

But none of them were listening. "You need to relax, Professor," Kaede told him as she pulled him close, dangerously close to her very large breasts.

_H–hey, watch those!_ Negi thought frantically until she finally figured that this was not the best thing to help him relax and let him go. Finally, Negi took a deep breath and began his story.

* * *

After what seemed a very long time, Flitwick finally finished telling Evangeline everything about his youth, and his origins, and the vampire girl smirked.

"Hmph. I knew it. It's all coming together. The construct Fate's, the striking resemblance between him and Nagi's old master, your connection to that world. It's all becoming clear. You aren't just connected to Fate. _You_ are the original. You ARE …"

* * *

At that same moment, the very same words escaped the lips of both master and pupil.

"… Fate Averruncus."

All the while, InuYasha was still lying face–down in his crater, asking himself, _Why does she do this to meeeeee?!_

* * *

That night, when Miroku would finally come looking for InuYasha, and find his half–demon friend lying face–down in a deep crater at the hot spring, the only thought that would cross the young monk's mind would be, _Am I rubbing off on him that much? Maybe Shippo was right._

* * *

Yeah! Bet you didn't see that coming did you? Heh heh! This is going to make this thing a whole lot more interesting for me as the writer, and for you as the readers (I hope). I'll just leave what happens next up to your imaginations, but don't get too caught up in it. I hope y'all haven't forgotten about Malfoy's plan. 'Cause that's coming up too.

Expect another update by the end of next month.


	44. Update!

ust wanted to alert my readers to disregard what I said before. It probably won't take me a month to finish Chapter 35.

On the other hand, this next one will easily be my longest chapter ever! So at least don't expect it to be released until the second week of August. In addition, I just got a new computer, but it's a Mac. And since I have used Dell computers for over a decade, it'll take me a while to get used to it. I'll still have my old laptop for a while, so there shouldn't be a big impact on my writing pace. I'm good at multi-tasking, so I can get used to the Mac and still use this one at the same time. It'll just take a little creativity, and I've got plenty.

Also, rest in peace, One Manga. You will be missed.


	45. Chapter 35

I know I'm a few days over the deadline I set during my last update, but I've got good reasons. I've recently had to make the transfer from the PC to the Mac by force, since my PC crashed on the same day that I managed to get used to using the Mac's Word processor. I swear the thing was jealous! But it's okay. All the docs on that computer were saved by the Geek Squad. I guess it's worth 100 bucks for the backup as long as you get what you wanted out of it.

I would have had the chapter out a few days ago, but my proofreaders (besides myself) were really slow in getting around to it. I think that since it was 16 pages, they were a little intimidated. Elsewhere, the transfer of the Ancient Greek characters from PC to Mac didn't go well, so I had to do much of it over from scratch, and then there's the problem with the differences in the year of the Microsoft Word programs I've used. The repertoire of Ancient Greek and Cyrillic characters available with 2008, which I'm using now, is a lot less organized than in 2003, which I've used up till the crash of my PC. When you want to use the full Greek incantations in the actual chapters, then you need either a reliable word processor, or excellent research skills to find the characters you need.

All right, that's enough of that! I noticed I've been getting a lot of reviews in the last month, and they're all from the same guy, and that makes me happy. I really do appreciate it, so in this chapter, my longest one to date, I've tried to put in a little of everything. The heaviest hitters of our favorite animes introduced so far will be showing off some of their skills in their morning exercises. We'll get some good laughs out of it, mostly at Lee's expense, and we'll get a look at what Fate's up to. Plus, there will be some hints to characters soon to be introduced to the fic, so keep your eyes and minds open.

And one more thing: How the Hell do you guys deal with the punctuation restriction here? I can't use the double and triple punctuation marks this fic calls for from time to time!

**Updated: 10/9/12**

* * *

Morning Training and Shenanigans

When Harry and Ginny awoke the next morning, they found their robes gone, replaced by two sets of casual clothes, consisting of two standard short–sleeved shirts, two pairs of jeans, and of course, fresh underwear for each of them.

"Um, Harry," Ginny inquired. "Where are our clothes?"

"I don't know," her husband replied, slipping his shirt over his head and pulling up the pants, finding them both to be surprisingly well–fitting and comfortable. "But I'm going to find out."

He had only gone as far as the door when it opened on its own and Chachamaru, dressed in a maid outfit, appeared on the other side. "Oh, well good morning Mr. and Mrs. Potter. I was just about to come and wake you up. Breakfast is being prepared, so please feel free to join us on the terrace whenever you're ready," she informed them flatly before turning away.

Harry was about to ask his question when Chachamaru did a double–take and told him that their clothes were being cleaned, but would be returned before it would be time to return to Hogwarts.

Harry sighed and closed the door, turning around to face his wife. "Oh well. We'll just have to grin and bear it until we get our robes back."

When Ginny had finish getting ready and had gotten dressed, the two of them walked through the corridors of Evangeline's castle to arrive at the grand terrace to find a fantastic sight. Every student of Hogwarts, young and old, appeared to be watching a pair of blurs clashing repeatedly down below without rest. When the figures finally came to a stop, they saw that it was Negi and Kakashi, the ninja who had appeared during Negi's first lesson.

"What do they think they're doing?" Ginny couldn't help but say. "Won't this set a bad example for the students?" Her concern was well warranted. The hundreds of students around them were watching the fight intently and with great interest.

"That's what we said, too," Hermione and Ron said, fighting their way through the crowd to join their friends. "They've been going at it like this for over an hour already."

"And that's not all, blokes," George laughed to his friends. "Look down there." He pointed to an area a short distance away from the two young men, where they saw the tan, blonde–haired Fei Ku going hand–to–hand and toe–to–toe with the wiry, bowl–cut haired Rock Lee, and on the other side or the clearing, moving everywhere at once, was Naruto battling it out with Kaede, knives and clones flying in all directions.

"What in the world is this?" Neville thought out loud, coming through the crowd to come join them.

"Mid–morning exercise," they heard a proud voice shout. They looked around to find the other bowl–cut haired man, Might Guy, standing perfectly balanced on the railing. "A warrior needs to keep his mind and body in tiptop shape, my friends. Kakashi and I had to do several rounds of Rock–Paper–Scissors to decide who would get that boy first. Usually he gives me the first crack at an opponent, but this time I guess there's something about him that got Kakashi all fired up. Makes me want to fight the kid myself even more now. I've never seen him fight with this much passion before. Almost reminds me of myself."

"Well, Mr. Guy, while Negi and your friend are busy, perhaps you'd like to spar with me? After all, I am one of the first ones to teach Negi how to fight."

Beside Guy stood Takahata, grinning at him. Guy couldn't help but return that grin, only with more tooth in it than usual. "You know, I think I might take you up on that. Let's go Mr. Tux!"

"Hey, it's a designer suit, not a tux."

And with that, they leaped down into the dense forest, and before long, there were even more crashing sounds than ever before.

* * *

Kakashi attacked Negi relentlessly, going from kicks to punches to kunai attacks.

To his amazement, Negi seemed to dodge all of his moves with little effort. _This boy is something else. A teacher like no other, and a fighter on the level of the Hokage … and only at the ripe age of ten_, he thought as he thrust a kunai at Negi's right flank.

The boy deftly sidestepped the attack, grabbed Kakashi's wrist with his right hand and instantly counterattacked with his left, driving his elbow directly into Kakashi's sternum. _Beckoning Strike Pinnacle Elbow!_ Negi's strike blew Kakashi back a fair distance.

The man landed heavily, coming down sideways against a tree in a crouch, rubbing his solar plexus where the elbow strike had landed. The point of impact was still tingling, but not in a good way. It felt like there was an electric charge in that attack. "Hm.

Looks like I'll have to get serious now." Kakashi lifted his headband away from his eye, revealing his Sharingan. "This'll be fun," he said, making a small series of hand signs.

Ox, Rabbit, Monkey. "Lightning Blade!" In no time at all, Kakashi's right hand was blazing with extremely intense pale blue lightning energy.

Before Negi had a chance to cast a single spell, Kakashi had charged and struck with his best strike, running Negi straight through the middle with his lightning–charged hand, but as soon as he did, the boy's entire body began to turn blue itself. Before Kakashi could withdraw his hand, Negi's body turned itself into electricity and surged into his body. "Erg," he groaned, briefly closing his eyes in pain.

"My own patented lightning clone," Negi said proudly, appearing atop the same tree on which Kakashi had been perched only seconds before. "I worked out a way to, instead of having the lightning disperse, inject it into the enemy. You like it?"

Underneath his mask, Kakashi smiled. "A ha ha. Well done, my boy. But be forewarned, lightning is my element. You won't beat me so easily."

"Oh," Negi said in feigned surprise, not fooling Kakashi one bit. "Then I suppose

I'll just have to, how do you say, turn it up a notch!" A ball of light appeared in his hand, but quickly disappeared as he closed his fist over it. In a flash of light, every inch of Negi's body was pulsating with lightning energy. "´H ´AΣTΡAΠH' ´ΥΠE'Ρ OΥ'ΡANO´Υ ME'ΓA ΔΥNA'MENH!"

"Huh?!"

"It means 'Thunder in Heaven, Great Vigor.' Let's see how you handle this. Now, I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I'm going to mop the floor with you this morning!" Negi winked at him.

But Kakashi only winked back. "That's just the way I like it. I find I fight best when I'm backed into a corner."

"Too bad there are no corners while I'm like this," Negi scolded him half–heartedly. "I think you might really appreciate this next move. Ha!" Negi spread his arms wide, and in the blink of an eye, Kakashi was surrounded by hundreds of glowing Negi's. "Thousand clone barrier! There's no way out now."

"Well, let's just see about that." The masked man suddenly disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"Huh?" Dissolving all of his clones, Negi lowered himself to the ground and looked around. "Where is he? I can't sense him anywhere."

"I'm right where you least expect me." Before Negi could think of anything, a hand had protruded from the ground, grabbed him by the ankle, and pulled him into the dirt up to his chin. Before Negi knew what was happening, he was more than half–way underground and Kakashi was back aboveground and crouching over him. "Right under your nose. Earth Style: Headhunter Justu. One of my personal favorites."

"Too bad for you," Negi shot back. "This isn't really me." And before Kakashi could blink, the boy disappeared in a rush of wind. "Wind decoy. What do you think?"

This time, the voice was behind him. Kakashi grabbed another kunai from his holster and thrust it around, only to find Negi's gladius thrust at him. For several seconds, both combatants stood there staring each other down, their weapons only an inch from the other's throat.

"Shall we call it a draw?" Kakashi proposed after a moment of contemplation.

"Uh uh uh," Negi teased him. "You forgot about my other hand."

Kakashi looked down to see Negi's left hand aimed right at his midsection.

"_Sinistra emittam_."

If Kakashi had not twisted his waist to dodge, Negi's Jaculatio Fulgoris would have run him right through the middle. The lightning spear spell just kept going and going until it had skewered five trees. Looking back, Kakashi couldn't help but whimper in fear and shock as he turned to look at Negi's face.

"And there's three more where that came from," Negi said cheerily. "And just so you know, I can launch several at once from a single hand, so I would just accept the loss if I were you. That way, you've still got the chance to improve and make up this failing grade."

"Wha–? Failing grade? You were grading me on this match?" Reluctantly, Kakashi lowered his kunai, and Negi returned his gladius to the sheath at his waist.

"Call it a 'teacher's habit'."

"Heh. Cheeky to the last. Leave it to an Englishman."

"Actually, I'm a Welshman."

"Anyway, I suggest we check up on our friends, see if their sparring matches have –"

POW!

Before either of them could do anything, a deafening crash seemed to split the air in half, and Guy was hurled past them, crashing into the nearest tree, just below, nearly causing it to collapse.

With his eye wide with surprise, and with the sound of crackling bones, Kakashi slowly turned his head in time to see Takahata approach the tree against which Guy had been pinned, his hands in his pockets.

"Need a hand?" the greying–haired man offered kindly, extending a helping hand to the downed Might Guy, who accepted it gratefully.

"How'd you do it? I gotta know!" he demanded, clapping Takamichi on the shoulder as though he had been the one who lost. There were scratches and bruises all over his face, but he was still smiling as big and flashy as ever. "I never even saw your hands move."

"That's the idea," Takamichi chuckled back, slapping Guy on the back and walking him back to the castle to get his scratches taken care of.

Negi shook his head. _The poor man never had a chance._ "Muon–ken," he whispered to Kakashi. "The Silent Fist. It creates blows untraceable to even the most trained eyes. Not many even know how to combat it, much less defeat it."

"Hey, what was that crash?"

They looked back to see Naruto and Kaede coming through the trees, Kaede looking a little worse for wear, but still able to walk.

"Kaede, what happened to you?!" Negi exclaimed. "You look terrible!"

"No, no Professor," she calmed him with a wave of her hand. "It's not as bad as it looks."

"Yeah, it's a whole lot worse," Naruto smirked. But upon seeing Negi's worried face, he decided he should take it back. "Heh heh. Just joking. Seriously though, this girl is a lot tougher than she looks. She even took a Rasengan from me and it barely slowed her down at all. Her cloning ability isn't as good as mine –"

"But only in sheer numbers," she reminded him with a shake of her finger as they continued to walk toward the castle. "You still need to work on solidifying them."

"What?" Naruto retorted. "But they're solid enough already."

"But only by your standards, not mine. You need more training from Sessha."

"Okay, but who's Sessha?"

The last thing they heard from them was Kaede laughing.

That is, before they heard the sounds of the only remaining fight: Fei Ku vs Lee.

"BAKURETSU SUNKEI!"

"SEVERE LEAF HURRICANE!"

BANG! ZOOM! CRASH! Their attacks collided and an instant later, both combatants shot in opposite directions and slammed into the forest with a deafening crash.

"Lee!" Kakashi gasped, running after Lee.

"Fei Ku!" Negi burst out, rushing over to where she lay under a huge redwood.

"Aha ha ha ha ha ha, that was good match," Fei Ku laughed, standing up as though nothing had happened. There was blood running down her cheek from a light scrape on her head, but she didn't even seem to notice. "Is okay, Negi–bozu?"

"Um, I don't know," Negi said shakily. "He crashed into the woods. I don't know how far he went."

BOOM! CRASH! It was the sound of Lee finally coming to a stop against a broad oak and causing it to collapse from the impact.

"Heh. Well, judging from the distance he flew, I'd say, 'No, he's not okay,'" Negi told her quite casually.

POOF!

Suddenly, there stood Kakashi with Lee on his shoulder. The boy wasn't as badly battered as Fei Ku, but he was unconscious. "I'll say," he agreed. "I don't know what that attack you used on him was, but it knocked him silly."

"Let's get him to a medic," Negi nodded in agreement.

"Perhaps I can help."

They turned to find Neji Hyuga walking up to Kakashi. "If you would lower him, please, Sensei?" he asked politely.

"Of course," Kakashi replied, and sat Lee's body on the ground. "What are you going to do?"

"Tenten told me to do this if he gets messed up like this." And with that, he cleared his throat, and raised his hand. Without warning, he gave Lee a hard palm strike across the face and yelled, "WAKE UP, YOU IDIOT!"

But Lee didn't wake up.

Neji scratched his head pensively. "Huh. That almost always works. Maybe I'm not doing it hard enough."

"Hold it!"

Everyone looked to see Haruna walking up to them with … another Negi! "This is a job for 'Nugi Version 2.0,' now with a 12-incher."

"Huh?" was all Neji could say.

"A … 12-inch … what?" Kakashi said with a blank face.

"Tongue, duh!" At her words, the boy cracked his mouth open and a tongue that did not seem at all human seemed to slither out. And before anyone could do anything else, she kicked the second Negi in Lee's direction. "Go get 'im, tiger!" Neji barely managed to dodge as "Nugi" flung his arms around Lee and inserted that crazy tongue into his mouth and gave him the craziest kiss any of them had ever seen. Kakashi and Neji both looked like they were going to vomit, and Negi had covered his eyes, but seemed to be contemplating peeking through his fingers. As for Haruna, for whatever reason, she was drooling and giggling over her "success." This was the first time she'd tried this since their trip to the Magic World, when she wanted to give a few other girls, "practice" kissing Negi for when the pactios needed to be made.

Instantly, Lee's eyes flew open and he let out the loudest cry of despair. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

In a second, Lee was on his feet and dashing towards the castle as fast as he could, screaming, "Soap. Soap! I need soap!"

Haruna just couldn't stop laughing. "That was classic! There's nothing funnier than a guy who gets kissed by a guy and needs to wash his mouth out with soap! Paru, you are a genius!" she complimented herself between fits of uncontrollable, ground–pounding, foot–kicking laughter. She was laughing so hard, she hadn't even notice that Nugi had already disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Kakashi and Neji just looked at her in disgust. Fei Ku was just shaking her head in slight amusement. Negi was trying unsuccessfully to tell off Haruna, but she didn't hear a thing over her own laughter.

"Hey, what was that?" Guy called, coming out of the castle, his face now cleaned off. "Lee suddenly charged into the bathroom covering his mouth."

"It …" Negi began. "… was a really passionate …"

"A really _deep_ one," Fei Ku added.

"Passionate what … deep what?" he demanded, beginning to freak out.

"You don't want to know, Sensei," Neji told him, his head in his left hand, as if he had a headache.

"Oh, come on! Tell me!"

"No. You really don't want to know," Kakashi waved his hand. "Even I regret seeing what we saw a moment ago."

"Hah! You're all afraid to say so? Well I'm sure Lee will tell me!"

"That would just be rubbing salt in his wounds," Negi stressed. "Trust me, and leave him alone about it.

"Now then," Negi said, looking up to where all the students were cheering. "It's time to prepare my lesson for the day. I figured while we're here, I'd give everyone, including the teachers, a crash–course on tapping into their hidden magical potential."

"Hm. Seems a good way to spend our remaining time here," Kakashi thought out loud. "Mind if I sit in on your lesson, Professor?"

"Certainly. The more the merrier," Negi smiled.

"Hey. Not so fast."

They looked up to find InuYasha sitting in a nearby tree. "First, I want to fight you."

At that moment, InuYasha's eyes met with Kakashi's. After a moment of silence, Kakashi sighed. "Very well, but first, shall we have breakfast? Our hosts should be done preparing it by now."

"Feh!" InuYasha laughed. "You humans are so annoying sometimes."

"Don't underestimate us humans," Kakashi told him, now very serious. "Or you could end up dead."

"Hah! You'll find I'm harder to kill than others!"

For several moments, they just stared at each other in silence. That is, until Guy broke that silence. "Hah ha! You know, you two sound a lot like the two of us, huh Kakashi old buddy?"

"Huh? What are you talking about, Guy?"

_What?! Not again. How many times is he going to get under my skin like that?_ Guy raged in his mind, clenching his fist. _Curse him always acting so aloof!_

Negi couldn't help but laugh.

"Hey, what's so funny?!" Guy rounded on him.

With one final chuckle, Negi smiled at him. "Let's just say that minds are like books. They're easy to read, if you know how."

"Well, I don't see how that … OHHHH!"

Taking great satisfaction in the shocked expression on Guy's face, Negi turned and walked inside to meet with his adoring public. The students had been quite bowled over by his performance, and would no doubt spread the word to all those who hadn't seen it.

* * *

Once everyone had been well fed and watered, the students went off to enjoy the rest of their morning, but the staff stayed on the terrace, their eyes glued to the battleground before them, on which stood InuYasha and Kakashi. Harry and his friends had also decided to stay and watch what was going on down below. During breakfast, InuYasha had bragged to them about how he'd beaten Hagrid the day before they'd arrived. Even though Hagrid did tell them it was the truth, most of them were still skeptical, especially Ron and Seamus, so they wanted to ascertain the half–demon's powers for themselves.

"There's no way he beat Hagrid," Seamus wouldn't stop saying. "Hagrid's like, 15 feet tall, and that guy's so scrawny. There's just no way."

"Shut up, Seamus," Dean told him for the fourth time. "It looks like they're about to start."

Just like the rest, Harry's eyes were glued to InuYasha, standing on the shoreline, facing off with the masked ninja standing on the water five meters out. _Show us_, he thought. _Show us why you beat Hagrid._

* * *

The teachers could not believe what they were seeing. One man standing on solid ground, and the other standing on the raging waters just a dozen meters before the waterfall, as if it were nothing.

"How is he doing it?" Madam Hooch asked the others, not taking her eyes off Kakashi.

"It defies all laws of science," Slughorn ranted. "It's absolutely impossible to stand on water. Anyone would just sink. No magic I've ever heard of can keep one afloat like that."

"Not even Albus was capable of this," McGonagall said with bated breath, remembering the greatest Headmaster Hogwarts had ever known.

"Hah! You don't know what you're talkin' about!"

They turned to see Naruto coming towards them, his arms crossed, and his eyes on his teacher. Not even turning to look at them he reached the railing, his expression dead serious. "Kakashi–Sensei is probably the best warrior in my whole village, next to me, of course. I don't know what that guy is hiding, but Sensei will see right through it. His Sharingan never fails."

"Huh?" everyone turned to him. "What does that mean?"

"It means 'mirror wheel eye.' It's an optical ninja skill that allows the user to analyze and memorize his opponent's every move. And his Lightning Blade jutsu is unparalleled in both power and speed. InuYasha's going to need a miracle just to keep up with him, let alone win."

* * *

Down at the water's edge, InuYasha was having the time of his life. "Heh! What'll they think of next?" he couldn't help but ask himself as he slapped himself in the forehead. "One of these days, I've got to learn that."

"Hm. Well, if you like, I can teach you," Kakashi offered in his nonchalant way.

"No foolin'?!"

"Sure, if you beat me."

"Then consider your ass beaten!" InuYasha snarled competitively, plunging his claws into his wrist. "BLADES OF BLOOD!" Dozens of blood red energy blades spiraled from InuYasha's hand and sped towards the waiting Kakashi.

_Making blood into a weapon_, he observed. _Nice. This one might just give Naruto a run for his money in unpredictability._ He crossed his fingers. "Shadow Clone Jutsu: Kakashi Style." In an instant, there were hundreds of Kakashi clones where the man was just standing, just in time to take the brunt of the demonic and brutal attack. In seconds, all the clones were gone and there was no one to be seen.

"Huh?"

"Don't let your enemy get behind you all the time." Kakashi had reappeared right behind InuYasha.

InuYasha tried to swing his arm around to punch him in the face, but Kakashi ducked and the momentum of the swing carried InuYasha in a full 360° spin.

_So clumsy_. "Leaf Village Secret Finger Jutsu!" Kakashi yelled, making a hand sign and aiming right for InuYasha's backside. "1000 YEARS OF –!"

CHOMP!

"YIPE!" Before Kakashi could deliver one of his favorite moves, InuYasha bit down hard on the air where Kakashi's fingers had been an instant earlier. If the man had taken back the move a millisecond later, he would have lost two fingers on each hand.

"What the Hell kind of an attack was that?!" InuYasha growled at him through clenched teeth. "Were you doing what I think you were doing?"

_Whoa_. "That was too close. I'd better be careful from now on."

"Well, the next time you try that, I'll bite your whole hand off, you jerk!"

"Take your best shot." And with another POOF, he was gone again.

"What the Hell?! Where'd he go?" InuYasha barked, looking around. _Wait. Calm down. No matter how skilled he is, I can still sniff him out if necessary. Remember the fight with Hoshiyomi. I can do this!_ He closed his eyes and relaxed his face in concentration. This wasn't really InuYasha's strong suit, but if it helped him catch a ninja, he knew he would have to give it a try.

Moments seemed to pass like hours. Then, a voice seemed to come from the trees behind InuYasha. "Your concentration is lacking, InuYasha. You'll have to do much better than that to catch me. Remember, the art of a ninja is his stealth. You won't be able to find me with your eyes if that's what you're planning."

"Hmph, yap yap yap freaking yap!" he called back, not turning around. "I've defeated a demonic ninja before, and he was plenty stronger than what you've shown, so I'm not exactly the novice you think I am.

"Anyway …" he went on. "… you're not completely invisible to me, even in there."

"Huh?" Kakashi couldn't help but mutter under his breath. At that moment, InuYasha's ear twitched.

"GOT YOU!" He turned around and charged. "IRON REAVER SOUL STEALERRR!" His voice echoed around for miles as he cut down ten trees with a single swipe of his claws. Amidst the collapsing foliage, Kakashi was revealed, his face showing absolute shock. "Feh. Found you. Don't underestimate a dog's sense of smell or his hearing!" he said in a scolding way. He drew Tetsusaiga from its sheath and pointed it at the appalled ninja. "Now are you gonna fight for real, or do I have to start fighting to kill?"

* * *

"Ha ha! This is great! Come on, Sensei, quit holding back!" Naruto was screaming from the sidelines.

"SHUT UP, YOU STUPID BASTARD! YOU'RE MAKING MY EARS RING!" InuYasha shouted up at him from the ground below. Several of the people around Naruto laughed at InuYasha's words.

* * *

Unbeknownst to anyone, on top of the highest tower of the castle, stood a black cat. It was watching everything going on down on the ground. Its eyes opened wide at seeing InuYasha pull a huge sword from such a thin sheath, but it didn't make a sound. After looking the red–clad youth and his sword over, the cat turned around and seemed to vanish into thin air.

* * *

Back on the battlefield, Kakashi had removed his headband, come out of the forest and was fighting InuYasha with everything he had. In fact, it was taking almost everything he had just to stay alive, because now that InuYasha had his sword out, he was fighting for keeps. The ninja veteran's hands were a blur as he made sign after sign at speeds that made InuYasha's eyes spin. "FIRE STYLE: DRAGON FLAME JUTSU!" A torrent of red and orange flames shot from where his mouth would be on his mask and engulfed the demonic youth.

"Whew, that should slow him down," he breathed as he watched the flames encircle the red–clothed boy.

Suddenly, all of the flames began to swirl in a way that filled Kakashi with dread. Finally, the flames dissipated and InuYasha was revealed to be completely unscathed.

"What?!"

"Hah! Nice try, but puny flames like that can only be a little tickle to someone like me!"

"But that was one of my best fire jutsu," Kakashi yelled in disbelief.

"Now let me show you some real power!" InuYasha slammed his sword into the ground, causing a shockwave that kicked up chunks of earth leading right up to Kakashi that threw him for a loop. But InuYasha wasn't done there. He leaped high in the air and aimed his left fist at Kakashi's gut, but Kakashi caught it and brought up his right hand to conjure a Lightning Blade and thrust it directly through the right side of InuYasha's chest. It didn't go out the other end, but it was clear it had an effect.

"AAAAAAAAH!" InuYasha screamed in pain. "You BASTARD!" He leaned forward and headbutted Kakashi square in the forehead, causing the man's eyes to roll back for a moment: a testament to how hard–headed InuYasha really was, despite Kakashi's metal headband.

Regaining his composure, Kakashi pulled his hand out of InuYasha's chest and dropped down to land heavily on the water's surface. InuYasha landed even heavier on the riverbank. He seemed to be having a little trouble breathing. _Anyone with a dropped lung would_, Kakashi thought in amazement. _But how is he still alive?_ "I think we're done here," he said, starting to walk back to shore, but InuYasha still stood firm and raised his sword again.

"Not until I've had my shot at you, damn it! I hope that wasn't the best you got, 'cause if it is, you could die this time!" InuYasha raised Tetsusaiga over his head, and a strange mass of energy seemed to swirl around the blade.

Sensing danger Kakashi jumped back. _OH NO!_ he thought. _If I don't do something, he really is going to kill me._

"DON'T UNDERESTIMATE US DEMONS!" At that moment, InuYasha swung the blade with all the strength he had left. "WIND SCAR!"

An instant before his view became blocked by the swirls of demonic energy, InuYasha swore he saw Kakashi's left eye change. An instant later, his Wind Scar attack disappeared as though it had been sucked into oblivion.

"SAY WHAT?!" InuYasha spluttered in surprise as he thrust Tetsusaiga into the ground and got down on one knee with one hand still clutching the handle. "You've gotta be … kidding me. I put everything I had into that shot, and he just up and obliterated it? What the Hell … kinda move was that?!" he seethed, panting heavily.

"It's called 'Kamui'," Kakashi said, collapsing to his knees, barely managing to keep his balance atop the water, breathing so heavily that InuYasha couldn't help but worry. "Whatever it hits is taken to another dimension." He lifted up his head to look at InuYasha. "It looks like we're both unable to continue."

"For now," InuYasha agreed. "Once I get my second wind in a few hours, I'll be good to go again. You, on the other hand, you ain't gonna be fighting for a while. Pfft. Humans!"

By that time, Naruto had leapt down from the balcony and was helping his teacher to the water's edge so he could rest. "You're amazing!" he said to InuYasha. "How did you continue the fight with that hole in your chest?"

"Not to mention a shattered rib cage and a dropped lung," Kakashi added, sitting down and hunching over to catch his breath.

"Bah," InuYasha waved his hand. "I've suffered through worse. Trust me."

Kakashi let out a long breath of relief. "I'm just glad the jutsu worked out right."

"What do you mean?" InuYasha raised his head.

"Well, that jutsu requires intense focus and extensive calculation. If I'd been off by a single degree, only most of your attack would have disappeared. And the rest would have gotten me for sure. Then I really would have been dead."

"Wow. I don't really understand, but all right, I'll accept that," InuYasha laughed.

"Ha ha. You sound like me," Naruto laughed back.

Before long they were all laughing.

"Seriously, though," InuYasha interrupted. "I'm sorry about that. I'm not supposed to try and kill anyone, but when you impaled me, the adrenaline just kicked in like crazy."

"Well it all worked out fine," Naruto said, putting his arms around InuYasha and Kakashi's shoulders. "I say we shake hands and settle on a draw for the time being."

"Agreed," Kakashi winked.

"Agreed," InuYasha muttered. "But when I heal up in three days, you'd better look out, 'cause I'll be lookin' for a rematch."

"I'll be waiting," Kakashi answered his challenge. "But next time we'll make it a more formal match."

"Huh? Formal?"

"Hey, Sensei," Naruto whispered in his ear. "You're not referring to _that_ match, are you?"

"Uh uh uh, Naruto. Loose lips sink ships."

"INUYASHA!"

"Huh?" said InuYasha nervously, turning around to find Kagome running towards him.

"How many times am I going to have to treat your wounds this week?" she said sternly. "Come on, let's get you to Madam Pomfrey to get those wounds patched. You don't want to miss Ne – I mean, Professor Springfield's lesson, do you?" She pulled him up by the arm, barely giving him a chance to sheath Tetsusaiga before she dragged him away, Naruto close behind, supporting Kakashi on his shoulder.

"I have no idea why you guys always have to fight for real every time, even for morning exercise," she complained to InuYasha.

"Heh. Don't you get it, girl?" InuYasha chuckled.

"The best way to train for war is to fight for real," Naruto finished his thought. "For warriors like us, it's the _only_ way to train."

* * *

Only one thing was going through Fate Averruncus' mind as he walked through a suburban town in Beijing, China. The place was in total chaos. Fate had made the mistake of allowing Naraku to handle the slaughter of this magical settlement. _So uncouth_, he thought as he watched blood spurt through the air like drops of rain. "All this blood is going to ruin my favorite shirt." He walked past several of his "partner's" associates and into a freshly cleared–out building and sat down on a flight of stairs, seemingly lost in thought.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps pounding down the stairs, and a mother carrying her infant child came hurtling down behind him. She had a nasty slash across her back from a sword of some kind, and had a hard time staying upright. When the young woman finally gathered herself and realized he wasn't one of the ones massacring the town, she sank to her knees and began begging him for help in her native language. Even though he wasn't familiar with Chinese as much as Japanese, his interpretation magic told him what he needed to know, and it was clear to him that she could not bare to see her son killed by those monsters, but she was bound to get the both of them murdered if she so much as left the premises just the same as if she stayed. _Poor things. There's only one way to save these two_.

There was only one thing to be done. Not speaking a word, Fate put his hand on her head to calm her down. The woman looked up at him, and just as the panic was beginning to fade from her eyes, he closed his eyes, as if in mourning, and spoke his words. "'Αιώνιον Πέτρωσις."

As Fate's hand began to glow, the woman barely had enough time to open her mouth to scream when she was instantly turned to stone. No sooner had Fate sat down again than one of Naraku's associates ran down the stairs and found him sitting there next to the petrified woman and child.

"Oh, are you kidding me?" the man said, coming down and getting in Fate's face. "That wench and her kid were mine! I wanted to cut them up!"

"Shut up," Fate told him. "If you're done here, then leave me alone. I'm not in a good mood right now."

"Humph! Well that's no fair. You know, I really don't favor the silent, unresponsive types," the man crossed his arms over his chest.

"Life's not fair, freak."

"Fine, I'll leave. Later, handsome!" the man waved as he walked out through the door. The last thing Fate saw was a swish of the man's clothing as he swept through an opening in the wall in a very whimsical way.

Fate only shook his head in disgust. _So gay_, he thought as he stood up and began to walk out, the floor starting to crumble wherever he would step. _You think you have a solution, Negi Springfield? You think you can save the Magical World? You think you can stop what cannot be stopped? I don't see or sense you acting on that promise. I'll show you how stupid you really are!_

As he walked out the door of the building, the entire structure came apart, crumbling to the ground in pieces both big and small. The look on Fate's face was still fairly neutral, but it hid a raging anger from deep within. One of the men responsible for the destruction, a young man with long black hair, saw Fate topple the building with his anger and shouldered his enormous weapon, asking himself, "What's got him so pissed off?"

Fate didn't pay him any mind. He kept his eyes forward and his face stoic. _Just you wait, Negi. Arrogant fools like yourself don't deserve the Eternal Garden. I'm going to kill you myself!_

* * *

"AH CHOO!" As Negi sneezed, the usual gust of wind blew all of his papers all over the room. "Oh, damn. The stronger I get, the more uncontrollable the wind is when that happens," he sulked as he waved his hand, and all the papers came flying back to his work desk. He was trying to map out a proper lesson plan for teaching everyone to use not just their own magic, but the magic around them as well, and it was proving very difficult.

Picking up his quill once more, Negi got back to his current idea. "Perhaps if I did this … No, no, no. Damn it!" He crumpled up the parchment and threw it into a more–than–half–empty trash bin behind him. "That's twenty ideas down the tubes. How am I going to illustrate the difference?"

"Hey, Negi!"

Negi turned around to see Kotaro coming into his makeshift office. "Having a hard time brainstorming?"

"Yes," Negi pouted, banging his head on the table. "I just can't figure out how to make them see that the extra complications are worth the extra effort."

"Man, this isn't like you," Kotaro scratched his ear. "You're a genius, Negi. You can figure it out. I mean, this isn't Rakan you're up against after all." He turned to leave. "It's too bad you can't work out a way to show them the difference in spell strength using something simple like uh, colors or something."

"Wait!" Negi suddenly burst out. "Colors! That's it!" He started writing formulas like there was no stopping him. "Kotaro, _you're_ a genius!"

"I am?" his best friend replied in surprise, but Negi didn't answer – he couldn't hear over the sound of his own handwriting.

* * *

Spell Translations:

´H ´AΣTΡAΠH' ´ΥΠE'Ρ OΥ'ΡANO´Υ ME'ΓA ΔΥNA'MENH - Ê Astrapê Uper Ouranou Mega Dunamenê - Thunder in Heaven, Great Vigor

Sinistra Emittam - Left Arm Release

Jaculatio Fulgoris - Lightning Spears

Bakuretsu Sunkei - Exploding Impact Wave (Like a souped up version of Bruce Lee's "One-Inch Punch," only it involves a huge burst of ki.

Kamui - God's Authority

'Αιώνιον Πέτρωσις - Aionion Petrosis - Eternal Petrifaction

* * *

There appears to be a little more dimension to Fate's personality. For a man who claims to not even be human, he certainly seems more human than Naraku. And what are these associates of Naraku's who are taking such pleasure in slaughtering innocent people? Why is Fate sparing the stragglers? Fate and Naraku are picking up speed. They started in the Middle East and have already reached the Capital of China. They could reach Hogwarts in maybe six moths at this rate. Will they be ready when they do? Or will they be delayed somehow?

What does Kakashi have in mind for InuYasha's test? What was the meaning of the black cat observing their fight? And why did it react to the sight of InuYasha's Tetsusaiga?

What does Negi have in mind for everyone? He's given his girls this kind of lesson before, but will the Hogwarts students take as well to it as they did? And will the other teachers welcome it?

Just a few questions to keep the mind active after reading. Find out next time!

* * *

Well, there you have it. It's time for Hogwarts to more than double its fighting power with Negi's training regimen. That'll come with the next chapter in about two to three weeks. Until then, keep reading, and don't you dare give up on the Naruto, Bleach and One Piece mangas online. While not many, some manga sites still have them, but for how long is anyone's guess. Let's just enjoy it while we can. Till next time, fellow readers and writers.


	46. Chapter 36

I've been receiving lots of support from readers new and old, and have just hit my 9,000th hit for this fic. This has inspired me to begin production of several more fics, many involving my favorite boy wizard, Negi, so in the coming months, look out for new fics by me.

**Updated: 10/25/2012**

* * *

It is finally time for things to start picking up. Not only will there be a fun lesson in this chapter, but a startling event will take place. One that will leave our heroes baffled beyond belief.

* * *

Taking It To The Next Level – Western Magic 101

Negi finally managed to finish his equations and assemble all of the students and teachers in the grandest room in the entire Lebens Schuld Castle. It was just barely big enough to hold all of its guests, along with Negi's setup on the far end of the chamber.

"What do you think this lesson will be about?" Harry asked Ron from his seat close to the front of the pack. Negi had asked them to sit up front, because he might need their help in a demonstration, but they had no idea what he had planned. All they had to go with was a giant blackboard that seemed to stretch to the high ceiling.

"I don't know," Hermione answered him. "But I'm looking forward to it. I wonder what exactly he's going to do with that."

"If it's another lecture, I just might walk out right away," Naruto said impatiently from his seat near the back, where he, Kakashi and Sakura had settled themselves down to listen to Negi's speech. "When's he getting out here anyway?"

"Come now, Naruto," Kakashi sighed.

"You never know," Sakura noted. "It might be fun."

"Hmph. I have my doubts," was Naruto's reply.

"Hey," Neville asked Harry. "Has anyone seen Malfoy?"

"No, now that you mention it," Harry told him. "Haven't seen him for hours. You'd think this would be in his best interest."

As if to answer Naruto's question, Negi walked in through a side door. "Sorry to keep you waiting, everyone." His voice boomed throughout the crowded chamber, prompting everyone to silence. "Thank you for assembling on such short notice. I figured that since we're all here now, and can't leave for a few more hours, I would take this time to teach you all a special trick to use even more magic than you've ever dreamt of."

His last announcement brought several hands to the air. "Yes, you," Negi said, picking out a first-year Slytherin boy from front-center.

"Professor, what do you mean?" he asked.

"Yeah," added a third-year Hufflepuff girl from the far left. "We can already use magic, so what could possibly be so important for us to learn?"

"Ah, I'm glad you asked," Negi said turning to the gargantuan blackboard. "I predicted someone would ask early on, and I was correct. It is, after all, a very reasonable question to ask. 'Why _should_ we learn to use more magic than we already are?' Well, the answer is this!" He snapped his fingers once, and out of nowhere, a huge chart appeared on the blackboard, going from the base all the way up to the top. "Can anyone tell me what this is?"

"Well, Professor Springfield," came Professor McGonagall's answer. "It is clearly a chart, but of what?"

"Well, Professor," he continued. "It is a chart of strength, both magical and non-magical. It shows the typical magnitude of power from your common house cat, shown down here on the bottom to … well … the most powerful class of magical beings in existence, shown up there at the top. But why, might you ask, is this relevant? I'll tell you. Name one man of notable magical talent … any man, and I'll tell you where he would fit in on this chart. Anyone?"

"What about Harry?" Ron's hand shot up.

"Mr. Potter? All righty. Hmm, given his stature, physique and level of skill and spell repertoire. I would say somewhere over … here." He clambered onto his staff and floated up to indicate Harry's spot at the 25 – 50 range.

"What? That's it?!" Hermione and Ginny both raved, defending their friend and husband, respectively. "Harry saved us all from Voldemort! How can that be accurate?! There's no way!"

"Yes, I had a feeling you'd say that," Negi responded from the air. "Perhaps you'd like to know where Lord Voldemort fell in on this chart? Well …" He floated higher. "Right about here." He indicated the 70 – 100 range, and a big "X" appeared. "And this would be generous, given the limited range of curses he seemed to be so fond of. You see, it was because he used the 'one-hit kill' spell that is the Killing Curse more often than any other, it made him _seem_ strong, but in reality, he had little real strength. The whole reason Mr. Potter defeated him was due to certain conditions and circumstances which I am not at the liberty to divulge at the moment."

Harry, Ron and Hermione knew exactly what he was talking about.

"If neither of them had wands and engaged in a fist-fight, Mr. Potter would probably win. However, if he fought me, he'd probably go down in less than a half–second."

"Okay," Harry answered. "I might accept that, but what about Dumbledore?" _Seeing as we all lost pretty easily fighting together. Alone, I'd stand absolute zero chance_.

"Yes," Luna piped in from the far right of the front row. "Professor Dumbledore was said to be the greatest sorcerer in the world."

"Well, that is a very commonly made misconception, everyone," Negi said sadly. "You see, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was indeed very famous, but that does not mean he was necessarily strong. Although he was very strong in your world, in _my _world, he would not have stood a chance, I am sorry to say. Now, I want you all to remember," he reminded them before he made any changes to the board. "That these numbers are only approximate, and they are based on both magical and physical prowess. This is the same reason why Mr. Potter is fairly low on the chart. Both Albus Dumbledore and Lord Voldemort were both rather old and physically weak, so he would come in right about here." He indicated a spot not much higher than Voldemort's spot, and Dumbledore's face appeared to mark the spot around the 110 – 120 range. This brought many crude remarks from the staff.

"Now I know," Negi went on. "That this may seem absurd, and absolutely blasphemous to hear, but it is the truth. Magically, he was one of the strongest your world had to offer, but physically, he fell very, very short." All of the sour faces in the audience seemed to make him a little afraid to go on, but this had to be done, so he swallowed his anxiety and kept going.

"And just where would you fit in all of this?" McGonagall called up to him.

After a moment of consideration, Negi snapped, and his face appeared to mark the 800 – 1,000 range. "But if it were my maximum strength, it would probably be up there," and he pointed way up to the 20,000 area. "I'm sorry to say, but everyone who went to school here has had such insufficient training in magical combat and spellcasting, that even if Dumbledore and Voldemort were still alive, I could probably soundly defeat them both in under a second."

There was much whispering throughout the chamber, particularly among the staff and alumni. They were beginning to see why Negi defeated them all so easily.

Negi was unsure of what to say next when Evangeline walked onto his makeshift platform and looked out over the crowd. "Well done, boy. You've gotten their attention. Why not tell them where Nagi would belong on this thing? And what gave you this idea anyway?"

"Well actually Master, it was Rakan. See, he used a chart just like this to explain the gap in power between Fate and myself, although, he didn't really specify Fate's real power. He just put it in question marks."

"Leave it to that idiot to plant such things in your head. Before you know it, you'll start teaching the way he did, too."

"Never!" Negi retorted under his breath. "Master, have some more faith in me. I'm not stupid after all."

"Hmph. Well, that's good to hear. I wouldn't want my star apprentice to regress to that muscle–headed freak's level of stupidity." She walked away with a sweep of her long golden hair. "Just don't turn them all into you. One of you is more than enough for me to deal with."

The whispering in the crowd kept going for several seconds more until InuYasha called from the front row, "So what _is_ the secret anyway?!"

"Right," Negi said to himself and turned to face his collective class. "Well InuYasha, it's not so much a secret as it is a method. A technique if you would. It involves consciously drawing in magic from your surroundings and using it to enhance your own spells and skills. But I'm getting ahead of myself. First, I need to explain the concept of magic in its purest form."

"But isn't that a regression, Professor Springfield?" McGonagall questioned sternly.

"Indeed it is, Professor," Negi agreed. "But it is a crucial one, however. You see, where I was taught, we were taught the very basics of magic so that we could appreciate its full power and not take it for granted."

That quieted everyone's questions at once. Clearly, they had all received his hidden message. Even though they were never aware of it, they had never truly appreciated magic properly, always calling on it without really being grateful for it being there.

"Now," Negi began. "Magic, if you were to look it up in a dictionary, would be basically described as a mysterious supernatural power that cannot be proved through scientific or logical means; a force that goes against the laws of physics and other sciences. Similarly, the word 'magician' or 'mage', for short, is used for somebody who can perform feats one would expect to be impossible. When a phenomenon that cannot be explained occurs, people such as mundanes or muggles, might reason it to be the work of a higher power, such as an act of God, a miracle, or magic, or something else that cannot be explained by normal means. It is believed by some magical scholars that perhaps it is due to people's concepts of God and those who desire godly powers that led to the development of the working definition of magic that we know today. As mages, we might be considered anything from miracle workers to monsters, or anything to that effect by the non-magical masses. Now, magic isn't really something that popped up in one place or another. There was a ubiquitous beginning for magic, and it has spread to many different cultures around the world, including styles, methods of practice, and the like. But it seems I'm going off on a tangent. This would be best explained in History of Magic. Come to think of it, it'd make a smashing good lecture topic." _I'll mention it to Professor Binns when we return to the castle. Heh. Might give the students a little incentive to come to class and actually pay attention._

* * *

"That's it! I knew it! Another lecture, just what I didn't need!" Naruto raged, getting up to leave, but Sakura grabbed him by his orange jacket.

"No you don't. Sit _down_, Naruto," she demanded, forcing his butt back in the chair. "This is really interesting. And besides, listening to this might get you interested in magic. And consider this, magic might give you a leg up over You-Know-Who."

"Who?"

"Sasuke, you twit!" she said, hammering him over the head with her fist. "You are unbelievable!"

"Shhhh," several of the students in front of them shushed them. "We can't hear Professor Springfield speak."

"Oh, right. Sorry," she bowed in apology and sat back down.

* * *

"Now," Negi went on. "The method to draw in magic is the very technique required to train in Western Spiritual Magic, a brand of magic in which you borrow and harness the power of the forces of nature itself."

There came many oooh's and ahhh's from the crowd. _Looks like they're really getting into it_, he thought.

"I'll explain Spiritual Magic at a later date, when those of you who are willing to train and learn it have mastered this method, the method I am about to show you."

With another snap of his fingers, the giant blackboard disappeared into thin air, drawing a lot of utterances of shock and amazement from the class.

"Now then, I will need a volunteer from the audience. Anyone?"

Nobody spoke until Dean Thomas raised his hand and pointed down at his best friend. "Seamus'll do it, sir!"

"What?!" Seamus couldn't help but say at Dean's words.

"Better not," Neville said to Negi, leaning close enough to whisper in the boy's ear. "If you don't want to get blown up."

Negi had still not been told of Seamus' nasty habit of accidentally blowing things up when he attempted to use magic from time to time, but he caught Neville's drift all the same. "Uh, actually, I think we'll go with someone else. Mr. Potter, how 'bout you?"

Harry was surprised by the sudden request, but quickly recovered and walked up on stage. Upon reaching the platform, he saw a huge hexagram drawn on the floor. "Is that how you made that huge chalkboard disappear?" he asked Negi.

"Not quite," Negi winked. "Vanishing something that big might've proved troublesome in this area, and Master would kill me if a single speck of dirt was left in this room when we're done, so I simply sent it somewhere else; outside, to be exact. I'll take care of it later, when we're not in such a crowded area. Now, you see that back there?"

Harry looked and saw that behind the chalkboard had been a setup of 15 bottles on a raised wall several meters away. "What are they for?"

"I want you to fire a Disarming Charm at one of those bottles the way you always have. Let's see how many bottles are expelled."

Harry didn't understand the full idea of this exercise, but whirled his wand and chanted, "_Expelliarmus!_" The bottle in the center of the wall flew backwards several feet before crashing to the ground. Many people in the audience applauded. Harry just put his hand behind his head, as if he hadn't done anything significant at all, which he kind of hadn't.

"Excellent," Negi complimented him. "The rumors about you are true."

_Rumors? What rumors?_ Harry thought. But Negi was already talking again.

"Now I'll do the same thing, only using the technique I have been hinting towards." He pointed his staff towards the space where Harry's bottle had been, and for a moment before the spell was released, Harry was certain he saw a mass of light build up at the tip of the lightning bolt-shaped part of the staff. "_Expelliarmus_."

The entire row of 14 remaining bottles was blown back all at once, several times harder than Harry's one bottle. They didn't even hit the floor, hitting the wall several meters away and shattering.

There was a great big, "WHOA!" throughout the entire chamber. No one had ever seen that many targets taken out by a single spell, not even the faculty and alumni. Flitwick, however, remained respectfully silent. He knew about all of this, but the rest of his colleagues were still not aware of that.

"That … that was amazing," Harry said in total reverence for the young man standing before him. "How could the same spell produce such different results?"

"That is the power of magic when its full power is tapped," he told him, turning around to face the class. "What you've seen just now is a slightly slower version of this technique, and only a mere taste of what magic can really do when its full power is unleashed. If Lord Voldemort had been trained at Meldiana like I was, it would have been possible for him to kill an entire army of wizards with a single Killing Curse." There came an audible gasp. "I know it may sound intimidating. We should thank our lucky stars that this was not the case."

He took a moment to draw in a deep breath before continuing.

"The method is as follows." The entirety of the chamber fell silent, giving him their undivided attention. "Now, magic is everywhere in nature, and I mean _everywhere_. It surrounds and fills the water in the sea, the grass in the fields, and the very air we breathe. Therefore, it is there that the secret lies. You must learn to draw in that magic, as though you are merely breathing it in, focus it at the tip of your wand and let it go as you release your spell.

"Mr. Potter, give it a try."

"Huh? But … you just told us about …"

"No time like the present."

_This boy just won't take no for an answer_. "But we haven't anything to practice on. The bottles are already broken."

"Hmm. Sounds like someone's a little afraid to try his luck." Negi turned to the crowd. "My students!" he called, spreading his arms out wide. "Are we gonna let him back out of this?!"

"No!" the crowd said.

"I can't hear you. One more time! ARE WE GONNA LET MR. HARRY POTTER BACK OUT OF THIS?!"

"NOOOOOO!" came the thunderous reply. Even InuYasha, Naruto, and some of the faculty were behind it this time.

"THEN LET'S GET 'ER GOIN'!" Negi tapped the butt of his staff on the hexagram on the floor, and POP! Above where the bottles had been now floated a huge white sheet, about a 20 foot square.

"This sheet is the next part of our exercise. It has been treated to respond to magic."

"Wait. What? 'Respond to magic' as in what, exactly?"

"Mr. Potter, I want you to aim your wand at that sheet and attack with the Stunning spell. See what happens."

_I still don't know about this_, Harry thought. _So here goes nothing._ "_Stupefy!_"

To Harry's surprise, when the red jet of light stuck the sheet, a red circle appeared where the spell had struck. Five inches in radius, the circle glowed for a few seconds and then vanished as quickly as it had appeared in a rain of sparkles.

"What was that circle?" he asked Negi.

"That was the imprint of the spell you just used."

"Huh?"

"Compare it to the crater created by the impact of a meteorite that has just crashed into the Earth's surface. An imprint, in Layman's terms," Negi said, jamming his left pointer finger into the palm of his right hand to illustrate his point. "A lot like an area of effectiveness of the respective spell. Remember what happened with me and the bottles?"

Harry instantly understood what the pint–sized professor meant. _Back then, he used the same spell as me, but the area of effectiveness was at least ten or more times as wide._ He was about to speak up when Negi started talking again.

"Now, try it with the method I prescribed a moment ago."

"But … I only saw it once, and the explanation was vague too. I don't think I can …"

"On the contrary, Mr. Potter, you _can_ do it," Negi interrupted him. "You're just don't think you can."

"But …"

"HE STILL DOESN'T THINK HE CAN DO IT, FOLKS!" he turned and announced to the audience. There was a wave of cheers of support for Harry.

"You see? You're the only one who thinks you can't do it." Negi indicated the entire crowd showing their support for their fellow sorcerer. "Don't worry about it," he smiled up at Harry. "I'll talk you through the whole process."

"Yeah! Come on, Harry!" Ron cheered him.

"What are you so afraid of?!" Hermione and Ginny yelled.

"Yeah, it's not like you'll pull a Seamus!" Neville applauded him. "You can do it, mate!"

"Be a man!" George jeered, trying to rile Harry up.

"Harry. Harry! Harry!" Seamus started to chant at the top of his lungs, and soon the entire room, save for only a few, were chanting his name in encouragement.

"They're not going to stop until you agree to give it a shot," Negi smiled at him, quite amused by the turn of events. _Any second now …_

After several more seconds of looking down at his feet, and about ten more "Harry!" chants, Harry puffed out his chest, pointed to the crowd and shouted to them in a really pumped–up way, "AAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL RIGHT! YOU WANT IT?! YOU GOT IT!"

* * *

"Heh." _Hook, line and sinker_, was the only thought going through Evangeline's mind as she exited the room to get away from all the noise that was making her ears ring. "Mortals are _so_ vulnerable to these pep rallies." _But who knew the _famous_ Harry Potter was such a wimp when it came to trying something new._

* * *

As the entire crowd of students roared in support for Harry, the faculty looked around in amazement. "Wow," Professor Sprout said in awe. "I've never seen Potter like this."

"I never knew he was so charismatic," Professor Slughorn whispered in admiration.

"You're wrong, Horace," McGonagall corrected him. "It's not just Potter's charisma you're seeing at work; it's Professor Springfield's. He's taken a lesson, which would normally be a formal class and turned it into this. Even in _his_ days as a teacher, Professor Dumbledore never had such an approach towards teaching. Professor Springfield is actually making work seem … fun."

"Hah ha, I fear for us all," Hagrid joked. "I'd welcome that."

* * *

"Silence, everyone! Now then, Mr. Potter," Negi said, turning to Harry. "Try and tune them out. You need to concentrate hard to do this properly."

"Okay," Harry said, closing his eyes. "And by the way, you can call me 'Harry,' you know," he said, opening one eye.

"Never mind that now," Negi shushed him, lowering his voice to just above a whisper. "Now close your eyes," he said slowly, in almost a hypnotic sort of way.

Harry did so, taking a deep breath and relaxing his every muscle

Negi sensed this. "Good. Now, with your mind's eye, picture yourself as you are now. Let me know when you've done that."

"O … kay," Harry said after a moment with a hint of hesitation, as though he were a little bit suspicious of Negi.

"Now visualize the magic in the air around you. It doesn't matter how; you can imagine it as waves of energy surging around you or as sparkles dancing through the air. When you think you've accomplished that, take a deeeeep breath in, and at the same time, envision yourself drawing all the magic that you can into your body and allow it to fill you up. Once again, the way you visualize doesn't really matter as long as you remain focused."

Harry did as he was told, but he still had little idea what Negi was talking about. He knew nothing of "the mind's eye," but he still tried to use his imagination to the best of his ability. It had been a while since he'd used it. Soon, Harry was surprised to feel a sudden surge in energy throughout his body. This wasn't normal energy, however; it made his chest tingle.

"Let the magic fill every inch of your body, from your toes to your fingertips. Then, imagine it traveling through you like blood in your veins, all coming together at the tip of your wand."

By now, Harry's endurance was running low. Trying to maintain his concentration while keeping all this energy in was like holding in a sneeze that was just fighting to get out. He tried to reroute as much as he could to his wand, and as he finally opened his eyes again, he saw his entire wand beginning to glow. It was faint, but it was definitely similar to the glow of Negi's staff.

Suddenly, the glow began to fluctuate. Negi was watching and noticed this. _Oh no!_ "Focus!" _No. It's too unstable!_ "Release it, now!"

"O – okay," Harry said in a panic, his concentration wavering even more as he raised his flashing wand. "St – _stup_ –." But it was too late.

BOOM!

Before Harry could perform the spell, his wand's energy lost all stability and exploded outward, throwing Harry head–over–heels to the floor.

"HARRY!" Ginny screamed, climbing onto the stage and bending over her husband. "Speak to me, Harry!"

Blinking his eyes, Harry shook his head and sat up slowly. "What? What happened?"

"IIIIIII think I know what the problem is," said Negi, walking over to Harry and offering him a hand–up.

"Huh?" Harry muttered as he scrambled to his feet.

"Yeah. We goofed," Negi said, using his staff to magically siphon off all the dust Harry had picked up on his short flight. "It's really my own fault. I shouldn't have had you take in so much magic on your first try. I think the problem is your level of endurance; it's a little too low if you can't hold onto it properly. I thought that maybe, just maybe, you'd been trained here to be able to control magic properly, but apparently I was wrong." He threw a forlorn glance at the teachers out of the corner of his eye. "Sad to say, Harry, but you lack proper concentration."

_He's not the first one to tell me this_, Harry thought, remembering a certain man he would never forget as long as he lived.

"And then," he continued. "… there's the fact that your magic exploded when you tried to release it. I have my theories about that, but that'll have to be addressed another day.

"SORRY ABOUT THAT, EVERYONE!" he called to the onlookers, who were mumbling in concern. "Unexpected accident, but don't worry. No harm done, see?"

Harry gave them all a thumb's up to show he really was all right, and was met with a cheer of relief.

"When you use your spells, you are simply returning the magic to nature once more, just like when you breathe out, thus maintaining the balance of nature. Thus, there is almost no chance of it exploding like just now, as long as you don't overexert yourselves by taking in too much like Mr. Potter did just now. Then again, he may have tried to push it out rather than letting it go, so maybe that's why it happened. I did not predict that would happen, but I'll figure out why when the time comes to teach the rest of you. Not to worry!

"Anyway, when this procedure is done right, the result could be along the lines of … this!" He fired the same spell again, unincanted, and the entire sheet lit up red. There wasn't a single eye in the room, save for those of Negi's girls, that wasn't as wide as it could get. "This is but a taste of the power you could all wield in the future with enough practice and training. All who are interested just send me an owl by the coming weekend and we can establish a training schedule for those willing to undergo the training. It will involve coming in here at least once or twice a week to train and study, but you can also use any excess time to relax or finish that last bit of homework that you couldn't finish the night before." He pulled out his cell phone and checked the time. "Ah, excellent! It's time to head back everyone. The 24 hours are up. My, how time flies! Please gather up your belongings you brought with you and head for the exit. Chachamaru and her sisters will guide you through the castle if you can't find your way. Before you leave, make sure you check in with either Professor McGonagall or myself before leaving the resort. We'll be standing by at the exit portal."

* * *

When all the students had gone back to their rooms to retrieve their belongings, Kagome and Sango went out to the terrace to enjoy the sunset. She'd already packed her school uniform and was wearing a lovely light blue sundress that Chachamaru's sisters had left her that afternoon. They had probably taken a liking to her since she and Negi were becoming … rather close. As she leaned on the railing, Kagome sighed as she watched the sky slowly change colors with the setting sun. "Ahhhhhh. It's beautiful isn't it, Sango?"

"Mm–hm," came Sango's reply as she sat down at one of the lounge tables. "And what's even more amazing is that with so much happening in the last 24 hours, only one hour will have passed on the outside when we get back."

"I'll tell you something," Kagome said, stretching her arms behind her back as she joined her friend. "It's really something that the time of day is synchronized with the outside world. It won't be awkward when we return to the castle."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the world is split into time zones, so when you travel long distances, the times change, getting later or earlier depending on where you're coming from, so things could get complicated when you travel in terms of schedule, particularly sleep schedules."

"Hm. Well, I don't really get it, but it certainly sounds complicated." Sango leaned back to look up at the sky. "Things seemed so simple back in our time," she said softly, blinking her eyes nostalgically. "The only thing that mattered back then was seeking out Naraku, but now things are getting more complicated. We're in a distant country, learning new languages. Everything keeps changing."

"You mean you long for the old days?" Kagome looked at her inquisitively.

"Eheh. No way," Sango smiled brightly at her. "I wouldn't give this up for anything. It's too much fun here for me to want anything more."

Both girls burst out laughing at the same time. And they didn't stop laughing until they heard Shippo calling them from the open entrance.

"Kagome! Sango! It's time to go! InuYasha and Miroku are waiting at the portal!" Kirara, who was riding on the fox–child's head, meowed loudly.

"Aheh! Coming Shippo!" laughed Kagome as the girls stood up and walked briskly back to join their fox and cat friends.

* * *

"Well, that's the last of them," Negi said as the last student entered the portal hexagram and disappeared, followed by McGonagall. "Who's left?"

"Kagome, Sango and Shippo are still back there," InuYasha said in annoyance.

"Why don't you go on ahead, InuYasha?" Miroku suggested with a smile. "I'll take the ladies back to Hogwarts, safe and sou – ow ow ow ow! Let go, InuYasha!" InuYasha had pinched the perverted monk's face and was stretching the man's cheek out several inches.

"You think I'm gonna trust you with that?" InuYasha asked him in a low voice. He grabbed the back of Miroku's kimono. "Now _GIT!_" He threw Miroku into the hexagram so hard he nearly bounced over the edge of the platform before the transportation magic carried him out of the orb diorama. "Never misses a beat, that monk!"

Negi could only scratch the back of his head and laugh awkwardly while a huge sweat drop formed right by his hand. _Why does this seem so familiar?_ he wondered. He was only too right, too. It had, in fact, happened to him and Chamo the previous spring at the Mahora Martial Arts tournament, when Evangeline literally threw him out of a room and almost sent him flying into a lake.

* * *

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" Kagome sighed again as they came out of the huge castle and approached the bridge before the portal. She could see InuYasha on the other side of the bridge waving at her.

"HEYY! KAGOME! COME OVER HERE AND LET'S GO!" he shouted.

"Are you going to do as he says and take the warp?" Sango asked her.

"Hmm. Nah, I think I'll walk," Kagome dismissed the idea. "I want to enjoy this nice tropical air a little longer."

"I think I will too," Sango agreed.

"Well, not me!" Shippo said, jumping off Kagome's shoulder. "This humidity is too much for my fur. It's making my tail frizzy." He put Kirara down, jumped onto the warp pad and was instantly brought over to InuYasha. "Plus, I'll never get tired of that!" he laughed.

* * *

"Wow! I just want to look at that sunset forever!" Kagome was enjoying her walk so much, she didn't realize she was walking close to the edge. Sango was worried, but didn't speak up.

They were half–way across when disaster struck. Kagome's legs suddenly criss–crossed and she lost her balance, teetering dangerously close to the edge. Before either Sango or InuYasha could do anything, Kagome completely lost her balance and fell from the high bridge and began to plummet into the open air toward the rocky waterfall below. She was so scared, she couldn't even scream.

"KAGOMEEEE!" InuYasha cried as she went over the edge.

"KAGOME!" Sango shrieked in panic.

"Kagome, no!" Negi exclaimed, reaching for his staff.

"We gotta do something!" Shippo cried in distress. "InuYasha?" But the half–demon was already moving.

"KAGOME, I'M COMING!" InuYasha yelled, racing for the edge. He had almost reached the edge of the platform when he felt a small but solid fist strike his midsection, and the next thing he knew, he was flying back and into the portal as Negi, already airborne, swooped past him in a completely vertical dive after the falling Kagome. But an instant before the magic of the hexagram whisked him away, InuYasha's nose twitched. _Wait! What's that smell?!_ He was sure he smelled a familiar stench.

"Kagome!" Negi yelled over the howl of the wind in his ears. "Spread out your arms and legs. It'll slow your descent a little!"

But Kagome couldn't hear him. She could barely even keep her eyes open, let alone figure out what he was trying to tell her.

_Damn it! She can't hear me!_ he thought as he sped down through the hot air. Suddenly out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kirara turn into a saber–tooth tiger–like creature with fire swirling around her body and leap into the sky with Sango perched on her back as she cantered down through the evening sky as fast as she could toward the plummeting girl. "Stay back," Negi called to them. "You're not fast enough!"

Sango heard him and motioned to Kirara to pull up, which she did.

Negi sped down towards Kagome, stretching out his hand as far as he could towards her. She must have seen this, as she also reached out her hand towards him, as if beckoning him. With a final burst of speed, Negi wrapped his hand firmly around Kagome's and pulled her safely onto his staff and laid her across his lap. She was completely limp, but he could feel her breathing. _She must have fainted from the rapid change in air pressure. She'll be alright._

"KAGOME!" Sango yelled in concern as she brought Kirara in to hover less than ten feet above Negi and Kagome.

After confirming she was okay, he turned his attention to Sango and Kirara. "She's okay," he waved to them. "Now let's get back up to the platform so I can resuscitate her. I can't do it here."

"Ah! Yes!" said Sango in relief, but before she could bring Kirara about, the cat's four legs suddenly sprang together, sending the two spiraling out of control to the waters below.

Negi barely had time to get out of the way as they went hurtling by. "NO!" Negi cursed his luck. _They're heading towards the basin of the waterfall. NOT GOOD!_ It was an incredible distance down to the waterfall's basin._ If they fall from that height they're doomed._

With Kagome safely lying across his lap, Negi pointed himself downward once more. _Acceleret!_ With a POW, he was off again, and it wasn't long before he caught up with and passed them. As he passed, he saw the whites of their eyes. _I knew it. They've both fainted, too._ "Got to time this just right," he told himself as he slowed and leveled off, the spray from the waterfall falling all around him as they fell toward him.

* * *

Meanwhile, Shippo was still trying to see what was going on down below, but the thick clouds blocked his vision. "KAGOME? SANGO? What's going on down there?" _Oh, I hope they're okay._

Suddenly, he saw something coming towards him through the clouds. The shadow got bigger and bigger and bigger, until it finally burst through the clouds and sped back towards him, taking on a familiar shape.

"NEGI! YOU SAVED HER! But what happened to Sango and Kirara?" he sobbed as Negi touched down and laid the two girls and Kirara, still in giant cat form, on the bridge. Shippo practically threw himself on Negi's chest, his tears starting to soak the boy's shirt.

"I'm not sure," Negi said soothingly, patting Shippo's head. "I'd just scooped up Kagome when all of a sudden, Kirara's legs suddenly got all mixed up and they fell too. Luckily, I was able to catch them before they fell too far."

"Now," Negi said, straightening up. "I need to revive the three of them." He walked over to where the three bodies lay, his staff leaving his hand and floating above their prone bodies. "_Rennervate._"

* * *

"DAMN THAT BRAT! WHAT'D HE DO THAT FOR?!" InuYasha raged, rubbing his head as he crashed to the floor as he came out of the teleport.

"Don't worry, InuYasha," Miroku said as he extended a hand to help his friend up.

"Hah! What d'ya mean, 'Don't worry'?! For all we know, Kagome could be dead by now, you stupid monk!"

"I mean, look, they're just fine." Miroku pointed toward the diorama, but before InuYasha could turn around, he grabbed InuYasha by his shirt and pulled him away just as five figures emerged from the glowing hexagram, three of them being held gingerly by a young man of 16, but he wasn't Negi!

"Who the Hell are you?!" InuYasha exclaimed, standing up.

"And why are you holding our girls?" Miroku asked, pointing at Kagome and Sango, who were both being supported by the young man, one girl on each arm.

"Huh?" InuYasha said, looking back at Miroku with a weirded–out face. "'Our girls?'"

"'Your girls?" Kagome and Sango echoed with stern glares.

The young man just chuckled lightly. "Don't you guys recognize me?" His voice was fairly deep, but his accent was impossible to miss.

"Wait." InuYasha sniffed closely at the strange man standing before him. "Hey! You're Negi aren't you?!"

"Ha heh. Bingo!" Kagome winked at them. "And quite the handsome devil, isn't he?"

"Ha – handsome devil?!" Miroku spluttered. "Well actually, now that you mention it, he is. Almost as handsome as me."

"Hah! There is no almost to it," Sango laughed. "He's way more handsome than you, Miroku, and unlike you boys, he knows how to treat a lady."

"Hey, I'm a demon, not some smooth lover–boy! And besides, haven't any of you noticed that he's somehow gotten older?!"

Negi winked at him. "Special illusion magic. You see, I couldn't rightly support them sufficiently as a little kid, so I changed my image to give myself a little extra height, so I wouldn't be dragging their legs on the floor. Now if you don't mind, we should get them back to their rooms so they can rest. They've had quite the ordeal in the past minute."

"What? Minute?" InuYasha said, bewildered. "A minute ago, we were all still in there."

"No. I meant a minute in the resort's time. That would be equivalent to less than a second in our time. Actually, the real incident only lasted about thirty seconds, which reduces the time to such a small number, I'm not even sure I can measure it in my head. Suffice to say, these two have had quite the experience."

As Negi carried the girls through the corridors, every female prefect who was patrolling the halls who saw him froze, love struck over the mega–hot guy in front of them. "Good evening, ladies," he would say, and they would fall over due to weak knees. _It's Mahora and Mundus Magicus all over again,_ he would think to himself every time it happened.

At last, they were out in the open air under a beautiful night sky as the approached their home sweet home–away–from–home.

* * *

Finally, Kagome, Sango and Shippo had been put to bed and Negi walked back down to the lobby with InuYasha and Miroku. The half–demon had something to say.

When they finally sat down, and Negi had reversed the spell, returning himself to his youthful form, InuYasha looked him right in the eye and said, "I don't know what happened before, but it was no accident."

"I know," Negi agreed with him. "When I revived them, Kagome told me that her legs twisting up was no accident; it must have been magic."

"What?!" InuYasha snarled menacingly.

"You mean this was …" Miroku started in great haste.

"Attempted murder … probably premeditated, too. Not only that, but Kirara's legs were stuck together in what I discovered to be the Leg Locker Curse. That means …"

"There was someone still in the place when it happened. And I know who it was," InuYasha growled jabbing his thumb towards his chest. "I caught his stench at the last second. It was _him!_ That yellow–headed bastard."

"Mr. Malfoy?" Negi guessed. "But that's impossible. He left the place five minutes before the incident even happened. I know because he checked in with me before leaving."

"Wha–? WHAT DID YOU SAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY?!"

* * *

What a day, what a DAY! Harry pulled a Seamus and blew himself up, Negi turned schoolwork into fun, and ... Kagome, Sango and Kirara have had a brush with death! InuYasha thinks someone is out to get them, and he believes it to be Malfoy, who wasn't even there when it took place! What's next? Next chapter release: N/A. I have two jobs now, both small, but time-consuming!


	47. Chapter 37

Sorry for the long absence. I was hoping to release the other day to celebrate the release of the 1st part of the 7th movie, but writer's block had me down for a while. Saw the 12:01 show on Thursday, and a 2nd time on Saturday and it really started giving me some new ideas that I can't wait to use. But that's for later. I also want to thank my loyal readers. In less than 10 full months, this story alone had achieved more than 10,000 hits. Thank you all! I'm not sure how common this accomplishment is, but I'm incredibly flattered and proud of my work!

**Edited for error: 10/25/12**

* * *

Negi's Decision and the Prediction of Fate

Setsuna soon found herself, surrounded by a wall of mist. One moment, she was enjoying a cup of English tea with Konoka, and the next thing she knew, the mist rolled in, swirling around the two girls and suddenly, Konoka was gone, their tea was gone, and Setsuna was walking around as–good–as–blindly.

"Konoka," she whispered in confusion. "Miss Konoka?" she called again. "Answer me, please!"

Suddenly, a voice began to roll in through the swirling mist. "Semmmmpaiiiiiiii … Setsuna–Sempaiiiiiiii …"

"Whuh … Who's there?!" Setsuna called. "What have you done with Miss Konoka?!"

"Forget her. It's little old me you should be worried about," the voice came again.

"Tsukuyomi!" Setsuna screamed. "It's you isn't it?! Give Miss Konoka back to me! You can do what you will with me, but if you harm one hair on her head, I'll eviscerate you alive!"

"I'm glad you …" The voice was right on top of her now. "… agree."

Setsuna turned to see a smiling face that made her tremble from head to toe. That was the last thing she saw before it happened.

RIP!

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

* * *

"RAPE!" Setsuna squealed in her sleep. "Oh God … rape!" she cried as she sat up and hugged her knees to her bosom in panic, her eyes squeezed shut, as if afraid that if she opened them, she'd see Tsukuyomi's face again. "No … no … no … NO … help me …"

"Uuuuhhm, Setsuna?"

Finally opening her eyes and coming to her senses, Setsuna realized she was sitting up in her bed in the room shared by her and Konoka, and looked to the side to see Konoka slowly sitting up right next to her, rubbing her eyes sleepily. She gasped. "Miss Konoka? What are you doing? You should be in the other bed." _Not that I'm complaining, really, but …_

"I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd sleep with you," Konoka whispered. "Are you okay, Setsuna? Did you have a nightmare?"

"Yeah," Setsuna said quietly, rubbing her eyes. "Sorry. Did I wake you?"

"What are you sorry for, Setsuna?" Konoka soothed her, putting her arm around her friend. "You want to talk about it?"

"Well …"

BAM BAM BAM! "What's going on in there?! Open the door, now!" came a call from outside the door. It sounded like –

"Forget that, stupid Negi! I'll open it!"

"No wait, Asuna! Don't break it –" SMASH! CREEEEEEEAK! But Negi was too late. Down came the door with a mighty CRASH! "… down.

"Is everything okay in here, you two?" Negi asked in concern, rushing in and scanning the room. "What happened? I heard something about … rape?"

"Oh no, Professor Negi. It's okay," Setsuna said, her arms held up in defense. "It was just a nightmare, nothing to worry about."

This made Negi relax. But before he could cross to their bedside, Edward dashed into the room swinging a spiked metal club that he'd obviously made with alchemy, screaming at the top of his lungs. "ALL RIGHT, WHERE'S THE BASTARD?! WHERE'S THE RAPIST?! I'LL TEAR 'IM LIMB FROM LIMB! I'LL KILL 'IM DEAD! AND THEN I'LL KILL 'IM SOME MORE!"

"Brother, please!" Al said from the door. He was having a little difficulty getting through. "You want to wake up the whole building? And make these doors a little bigger! I can't get through like you can – I'm too big," he complained.

"No, no, hang on. Calm down, Mr. Elric," Negi soothed him. "Setsuna just had a bad dream. It's okay. There's no rapist."

"C'MON OUT YOU SCUMBAG SONUVA – huh? Dream?"

"Yes, Mr. Edward," Setsuna told him, getting out of bed and showing him she was perfectly all right. "It was just a nightmare. I'm fine."

"Uh, right," Ed said with an almost disappointed look on his face. "Oh well. Better go back to the surveillance room. Come on, Al. Get your torso outta the door."

"I would if I could, but I think I'm stuck," his brother complained. "A little help … please?"

"All right, I'm coming," Ed said sleepily as he crossed to the door, but before he got there, he felt a hand clutch his left shoulder. He looked up to see Asuna making a face of pure demonic rage. Her hair was snaking in all directions as though it had a mind of its own.

"You were in the surveillance room this whole time?" she seethed, her face inches form Ed's. "You mean … you watched us _change our clothes_ … and you were watching us _sleep?!_"

"Well, uh, yes – er, no – er, sort of."

The next sound to be heard was the sound of shattering glass as Asuna threw Edward out the window without bothering to open it and Ed's screaming as he plummeted down five floors.

"Brother!" Al cried. But then, Asuna turned her demon face to him.

"And you too," she breathed threateningly.

"No! Wait, please," Al threw his hands up in defense.

"Don't hurt him."

Everyone looked toward the window to see Edward rise up on a transmuted pillar just large enough to fit both feet on it.

"It's true Al and I were in the surveillance room, but we had all the cameras turned off so we couldn't see what was going on. Now, I may not know too much about women, but one thing I _do_ know is that you like your privacy, so we only kept the sound on so we could hear what went on in case there _was_ an incident. Particularly, after InuYasha was kind enough to tell me about the monk. Anyway, you see where I'm going with this?"

This made Asuna relax, something not easily done by anyone. Her hair stopped floating and flailing around her and she stood down long enough to apologize to Ed as he carefully climbed through the broken window and fixed it and the tall pillar outside.

"Well, if there's anything – anything at all – that you would like to talk about, I'm right next door."

"Unless you decide to sneak into my bed again, you little freak!" Asuna snapped in earnest as she hammered his head and dragged him out of the room by the collar of his pajamas, pushing Al out of the way as Ed just watched in awe of her raw nerve, not even remembering to tell her off about the door. "Then you're sleeping in the forest with the rest of the dogs."

* * *

At that moment, two floors down, InuYasha sneezed in his sleep.

* * *

As Setsuna was drifting back off to sleep, one thought crossed her mind. _I'll have to fight the insane girl sooner or later. It will probably take me to the brink of death, but I swear on my life that I will protect what is most precious to me_. She threw a glance over her shoulder at the snoozing Konoka. _It may not matter in the grand scheme of things, but I really _do_ love her_.

* * *

Over in Japan, there was one hideous massacre occurring one after another. Japan was one of the countries of the world heavily steeped in magic, and thus, it was high on Fate's priority list. After starting off the attack on the Kansai Magic Association by dispelling all defensive barriers, he left the rest to Naraku's newest minion, who seemed to be enjoying himself killing everyone in sight, and headed to Nara to rendezvous with a person whom he'd contacted some time before arriving in Japan. Besides his typical reasons, he simply didn't like the stench in the air in this area.

He found a small café, quaint and out–of–the–way: the ideal place for an inconspicuous meeting to plot on somebody's life. He had barely sat down and rested his arms on the table when the waitress approached him from behind.

"Good morning, sir," she said brightly. "What can I get for you?"

"Good morning," Fate answered politely, not even turning to look at her. "Coffee, please. Black."

"Sure, I'll be right back," she smiled and went to get his beverage.

"You seem happy."

Fate blinked and folded his hands calmly. "You're late … Tsukuyomi."

* * *

Negi didn't have any classes today, so he decided to barricade himself in the library and read up on spells. _ I have to figure out what spell caused Kagome to fall like that_, he thought as he speed–read book after book after book. _It will happen again if we're not careful._

Madam Pince, the librarian, couldn't help but keep her eyes trained on the boy. Even though mountains of spell books were piled high around the pint–sized Professor like a fort, and he showed no signs of fatigue, she was concerned. Normally, Madam Pince was very suspicious of students, and put jinxes on some of the books to prevent them from being read, but this boy … he seemed not only to not care about the jinxes, but also to totally ignore them and subdue them as soon as they revealed themselves. Deep down, she was impressed by his love of books and the care he took when handling them.

"Professor Springfield," she tried to coax him. "You should rest. You've been reading for over three hours. At least stop and go eat something. I'll watch over these books for you if you're concerned about them."

"No," he told her. "Not yet. Just a little longer. Please let me be."

Rolling her eyes, the librarian left him to his reading.

"She's right, Professor," Hermione spoke up, coming out from behind a shelf. "Nothing good can come from spending your whole day in here."

"I never thought I'd hear that from you, Hermione," laughed Harry, who was with her. "Isn't that what you always did?"

But Hermione ignored him. "What are you looking for anyway?"

"Last night, a murder was nearly committed right in front of me. I barely managed to avert it, but it could happen again. I need to figure out what spell could have caused it."

Harry and Hermione were flabbergasted. "What did you say?"

"It happened after you'd left," Negi told them. "Miss Higurashi fell from the high bridge. I managed to catch her, but I don't know what caused her to fall. And even if I did, there's the question of _who_ did it."

"Do you know anything that could help?" Harry asked him hastily.

"Well, InuYasha believes it was Mr. Malfoy. He claims he 'smelled his scent' as it was happening, but Mr. Malfoy checked in with me before I saw him leave."

"But … that doesn't make any sense," Hermione puzzled. "How could he be in two places at once?"

"I think you know, Hermione," Harry whispered. "Polyjuice Potion."

Negi heard him. "What? But Polyjuice Potion takes weeks to brew, plus it would require ingredients that only Professor Slughorn has stocks of."

"PROFESSOR!"

Negi looked up to see Nodoka and Yue running toward him holding a book aloft. "What is it, Nodoka? What's wrong?"

"We … found it," Nodoka panted, holding the book up for him to read it.

"The Trip Jinx?"

"Yes," Yue told him, looking totally different without the juice box that she always carried in her hand. "It seems the most probably culprit that caused the incident."

As Nodoka handed Negi the book, a grim look began to cross the boy's face.

Suddenly, the door to the library was flung open and Asakura rushing in waving a newspaper. "Bad news, Professor. More like disastrous," she cried as she pushed past Madam Pince, who was currently scolding another student for trying to sneak into the Restricted Section, and then her classmates and thrust the paper into Negi's hands.

He had only taken one look at the paper when without warning Negi slammed the newspaper down. "Have you shown this to Konoka yet?"

"No, sir. I thought you should know first."

"Good. You thought right. Keep it that way for now. You've earned you're A for the day, Kazumi." With a wave of his staff, Negi sent every book flying back to its rightful place on the shelves. Slapping the desk as he stood up, he swept out of the library, heading straight for Professor McGonagall's office, his cream–white cloak swirling around his body and billowing behind him as the wind seemed to wrap itself around his feet, propelling him forward, and the newspaper still clenched in his fist. His only parting words were, "Don't follow me."

* * *

"Tee hee," Tsukuyomi giggled sweetly. "It wasn't _my_ fault. Some pedophile tried to hit on me, so I chopped his balls off."

"We're supposed to maintain a low profile among the ignorant masses. Don't do it again. Besides, you were asking for it, wearing those blatantly perverted clothes wherever you go."

"Here you are, sir," the waitress said, gently placing Fate's coffee in front of him. "If you need anything else, please let me know."

"This is fine, thanks," he said, waving her away. His temper was beginning to wane as he turning his attention back to the murderous girl donning white and pink gothic Lolita clothes sitting at the table behind him. "Anything to report?"

"Other than the fact that Naraku's own servants hate him and want to rebel against him? Nothing else. It's boring watching some middle–aged wench and some albino Mini–Me all day. I want to go find Setsuna again. She's wasted on that little Konoe bimbo."

Fate sighed as he sipped his coffee. "All the same, we don't want to be noticed by anyone who knows our faces. That's why I sent _him_ to do the dirty work with the Kansai MA. Naraku doesn't know who you are, but I have my suspicions about him. His spying abilities are … impressive. Don't get too close."

When he finished his coffee, he stood up, slapped the money – tip included – on the table and turned to walk away. "And don't even think about disobeying me to stalk Setsuna Sakurazaki. I've seen the way you look at her. If you do, I won't be there to protect you from her teacher's wrath."

* * *

Minerva McGonagall was in her office busily writing a report to the Ministry when the doors to her chambers swung open and in walked Negi with a steely look in his eye.

"Professor Springfield, is something wrong?" she asked as she looked up at him as he ascended the stairs leading up to her desk.

"Yes, Professor," he said curtly. "Something is very wrong." He laid the Daily Prophet on the desk. "I trust you've seen today's headlines."

She sighed heavily. "Yes, I have. Most unfortunate," she said slowly. "In fact, I was hoping I would get to speak with you, Professor."

"About what?"

"I think you know," she said flatly, looking him straight in the eye. "I am referring to the attacker."

"What'd you mean? It doesn't say anything about who was responsible."

"Oh I think you may know something, young man," she said, knitting her eyebrows. "There's not ten people in this world who can commit mass slaughter like this single–handedly."

Before Negi could respond, there was a TAP TAP TAP at the window. "Oh, good," McGonagall said, looking back. "I was getting worried it had been intercepted." With a flick of her wand, the window flew open and in flew a small owl.

_Must still be a youngster_, Negi thought.

As the owl landed on McGonagall's desk, it stuck out its leg and she quickly unfastened the owl's delivery, carried it back to the window and it flew away. She sat down briskly and unrolled a picture of a single figure, as well as a small note. It was clearly taken from far away; it was a tad blurred, as though it had been developed in a hurry.

"What is that?" Negi ventured suspiciously.

"It is a photograph … of the attacker," she said gravely. "The Japanese Ministry had an agent in the Kansai region to make contact with the Head of the Kansai Magic Association at the time of the attack. She managed to take a single picture before the assailant caught on. Whoever it was, they tailed her to a small observatory not far from the Head Temple of the KMA. They found her body only less than an hour ago."

"You're saying she managed to get this to the Ministry before she was killed?" Negi asked, unconvinced. "How could she have done it? This murderer was clearly a professional. What makes you think he wouldn't have noticed?"

"Well, according to this note from the Minister, the edges of the film were singed when it arrived, so that's means it was sent by the Floo Network."

"Huh?" Negi's face was as blank as a fresh roll of parchment.

"By fire," she told him, as though he'd asked an absurdly dumb question. "There must have been a fireplace in the observatory. But she sent the film without much protection, so it was damaged in the transfer."

"That must be why it was damaged," Negi inferred. "Does the Daily Prophet have this photo?" he asked hastily.

"No," she answered. "This is the only copy."

"Good," he breathed a sigh of relief. "Because I've got a bad feeling about this." _The last thing the remaining masses need to know is that there are even more killers than before_. He took out a cell phone and quickly began to dial.

"Wait – what do you mean, Professor? … I'm talking to you!" But the boy wasn't listening.

"Yes, Satomi? I need you to bring Chachamaru, and your computer up here right now … I don't care! This is – then finish the tune–up, put some clothes on her and bring her up to Professor McGonagall's office at once. This is vitally important! Out of power? Then get her up her and I'll do it!" He closed the phone, removed his glasses and rubbed his nose. _This is getting really stressful_.

"What were you just talking about, might I ask?" she demanded sternly, clearly not going to take no for an answer. "Care to explain?"

Negi took a deep breath. He was going to have to tell her everything. "Well, Ma'am. Chachamaru is … special, and you see, from time to time she needs to undergo a certain … procedure. It's kind of like surgery for us humans, but don't worry! They weren't doing it in a place accessible by students, I assure you. Now, Chachamaru and Satomi are able to digitally enhance an image, and that's just what we're going to have them do for us now. We need to find out who this is in the photograph."

"Why is knowing who it is so important?"

"You said there were not even ten people in this world who could commit this atrocity, correct?"

"Yes, why?"

"Then I'm thinking they may have come from _another_ world besides our own!"

"What? Professor Springfield, you cannot be serious –"

"Oh, I am," he interrupted her. "We cannot deny that there are other world existing parallel to this one. The Magical World is proof enough."

"So what you're saying is that this could be an otherworldly man–shaped monster?" she asked, folding her arms skeptically.

"Hey, it's possible," Negi shrugged. "By the way, Professor –"

BOOM! CRASH!

They both looked up to see an absolutely livid InuYasha break down the doors and stomp into the room and walk right up to McGonagall's desk, growling like an enraged beast.

"I … want … an explanation!" he snarled in a low voice, just above a whisper.

McGonagall looked at him in shock and in fear. "Wh-what? What are you talking abou–"

"ONE OF YOUR TEACHERS HAS MARKED KAGOME FOR DEATH!" he roared.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she tried tell him, trying to put things together.

"Hang on," Negi told him, putting his hands on his shoulders and bringing him down size. "Settle down. You said she was marked for death. Please explain what happened."

"Well, Kagome decided to drag me to some divining class or something –"

"You mean 'Divination'?" McGonagall corrected him. "Great."

"What do you mean?" both men asked her.

"Professor Trelawney has this habit of predicting death," she said putting her face in her hand. "She almost does it religiously. It never comes true."

"Yeah, well does she ever seize up and start talking in a hoarse, raspy voice?" InuYasha pressed forcefully.

"Raspy? No, she's never done that … not that I've seen, anyway."

"What did she say?" Negi pressed. "What happened?"

"We were just leaving when she grabbed my shoulder and –"

"I think I have just the thing for a time like this," McGonagall interrupted them. "Come." She led them to a small cabinet along the wall, but when opened, it produced what looked like a silver basin–like vessel filled with of strange–looking liquid. "It's a pensieve," she explained. "It used to belong to Professor Dumbledore. It allows people to relive past experiences. It will allow for an unbiased recall of the event." She raised her wand and turned to InuYasha. "Please bring the memory of the incident to the forefront on your mind.

"It's already there. Why?"

JAB!

Before InuYasha could react, McGonagall jammed the tip of her wand into InuYasha's temple and extracted a long, silver, silk–like strand from his head.

"Gyaaah!" he cried in pain as it was torn from his temple at last. "WHADJA DO THAT FOR, YOU OLD HAG?! God, it feels like you tore a piece of my brain out."

"Oh? I'm sorry," she said unsympathetically. "I wasn't under the impression that you had a brain to tear apart."

Negi tried unsuccessfully to hide his laugh from InuYasha's ears.

"Think that's funny, you little shrimp?!" He threw a punch at Negi's cheek, only to have him block it with a mere fingertip. _How did he do that?!_

"Please, InuYasha," Negi reasoned. "This is not the time or place for such aggression. There is a lady present."

After a few seconds of glaring at Negi, InuYasha lowered his fist. "Sorry. Now can we … please get on with it?" he asked, as humbly as he could, as though he were biting his tongue just to keep from cursing.

After surveying him with her ever–piercing stare, McGonagall simply said, "Very well." With a tap of her finger, the strand fell from her wand and drifted down into the Pensieve, and with a prod from her wand, a figure emerged from the basin. As the three watched, the little Professor Trelawney, breathing in rasps and appearing to be having somewhat of a seizure, seemed to reach out and take hold something at arm's level. "_G__REAT DARKNESS APPROACHES … O__N THIS DAY, TRAGEDY WILL ONCE AGAIN STRIKE THE ONE OF MIXED BLOOD, AND HIS ENEMIES SHALL BECOME GREATER STILL. I__NNOCENT BLOOD WILL BE SPILT AND THE MAN WHO ONCE SLITHERED UPON THE EARTH WILL BE RESURRECTED … MORE DANGEROUS AND MORE DEADLY THAN EVER BEFORRRRRE."_

As the figure disappeared from the pensieve's surface, Professor McGonagall turned to InuYasha with a stern look in her eye. "It is best that you forget this ever happened, my boy."

"What?!" he spat. "You expect me to just forget that this ever happened?!"

"Remember what I said before," she took hold of his shoulders. "The odds of this happening within Hogwarts are a million to one, if not even smaller. In fact, it is the other part of this prophecy that rings even more unlikely."

"I agree," Negi folded his arms. "Resurrecting someone from the dead is an absolute impossibility. It just can't be done."

"I … wouldn't be so sure of it, Professor."

All three turned to find Satomi looking at the photo that was lying on McGonagall's desk. Beside her was a gurney with Chachamaru lying atop it, who was wearing nothing but a hospital gown over her underwear.

"When did you get here?" McGonagall demanded.

"About a minute ago while you were all watching that recording or whatever you call it."

"Never mind that," Negi interrupted. "What did you mean just now?"

"Oh, it's probably nothing," Satomi dodged the question. "Just a theory. Now then, Professor …" She held out a turn key resembling one from old wind–up toys. "If you wouldn't mind?"

Negi sighed. "Fine, sit her up."

"Uh, what's going on? And what's with that thing?" InuYasha wonder, rubbing his temple.

"Well," Satomi began. "Long story short, Chachamaru here is a robot. I know she doesn't look it, but she is. She's spring–wound, so to power her up, we need to turn this key while pouring in magic power."

"Ahem. Yes, but where does this key go in?" McGonagall interjected, eyeing Satomi suspiciously.

"Don't worry," Negi told her. "I know that look. It goes in her head. It's not something suggestive or anything."

InuYasha tried to hide his laugh. "The old hag's got a dirty mind." This made her shoot an angry look in his direction, causing a chill to run down his spine. "I'll shut up now."

Negi got behind Chachamaru, who was sitting gingerly on the gurney with her legs over one side with her hair over her shoulder, so as to provide easier access to the keyhole. "Please … be gentle with me, Professor."

"Are you sure this is nothing to be worried about?" McGonagall tried to say, not someone to hold her tongue when she didn't like what she was seeing, but Satomi grabbed her shoulder.

"Please do not interrupt them while they're doing it," she said sinisterly with a glint in her eye, magnified by her thick, round glasses. "You heard her, Professor. Be gentle."

"Always," Negi said, as he slipped the key into the hole. "Okay, it's in," he said as he heard it click.

There was a small "Eep." _Oh no, I cried out again_, Chachamaru thought frantically.

"Here we go." Negi started to turn.

Professor McGonagall and InuYasha both looked each other in the eye, and in that moment, the same thought passed through their minds: _I've got a bad feeling about this_.

* * *

Naruto was patrolling the corridors of that level of the castle and was passing by a large set of chamber doors when he heard moaning from within. In true ninja fashion, he chivvied along the wall to look through the crack in the door. He saw Negi behind Chachamaru, who was red–in–the–face and moaning in a surprisingly pleasured way. He instantly flattened himself against the wall with a freaked out expression spreading across his face. _Is that kid having sex with that girl? Is he some kind of freak or something? He's not supposed to be that mature yet. Plus … I CAN'T HAVE A CHILD LOSE HIS VIRGINITY BEFORE ME!_

Naruto plastered himself to the wall, focusing all his senses on listening to what was going on in the chamber.

"Hey! What's going on?"

"What are you doing, Naruto?"

Naruto froze. He slowly turned his head around to find Kakashi and Miroku approaching him.

"Uh, nothing Kakashi–Sensei. I promise I wasn't watching something really sexual go on in this room. Absolutely no chance."

But before he could blink, Kakashi was beside him, glaring. "I know when you're lying to me, Naruto."

"Eep," Naruto squeaked.

"So, let me get this straight," Miroku said, completely unconvinced, peeking into the room through the crack. "You expect me to believe that that isn't young Negi having sex with Miss Chachamaru in there right now?"

It took several seconds for the thought to sink in, but at the same time, all of their eyes practically exploded out of their sockets and their hair stood up like crazy.

* * *

Chachamaru tried to keep a straight face, but the longer it went on, the redder her face became, and soon she started to moan louder and steam began to hiss from her ears. Then Negi went faster. "No, Professor, no," she moaned, almost in ecstasy. "Not too much … No! That's too hard. Slow down. Slow down. Please, no more." But Negi didn't stop, and he kept turning for about ten more minutes. By the time he withdrew the key from the hole, her hair was smoking and her whole head had gone a brilliant shade of red.

InuYasha's head was in his hand, and his face was red too. "That was sooooooo wrong." Then he sniffed the air and looked suspiciously at the door, which was conspicuously open a crack.

"Something else wrong?" McGonagall asked him.

"No, nothing's wrong at all," he said loudly, more so than needed, walking toward the door. "What ever do you mean, old woman? There's nothing suspicious going on around here." When he got to the door, he put his hand on the handle and put his finger to his lips. "Now if you would –

"EXCUSE ME!" He threw open the door and yelled in the faces of Naruto and Miroku, who were still crouching behind the door, listening to what was going on inside.

There was a great deal of panic and scrambling heard as the two peepers ran from the scene.

"Were they watching us?" Negi wondered, making Chachamaru blush even deeper.

"Feh!" InuYasha waved it off as he walked back towards them. "I'll chew them out later. They probably thought you two were having sex or something."

"What?" both Negi and Chachamaru both said at once. Then they looked at each other, and both went a deep shade of scarlet.

"Sex? Heh heh, imagine that," Satomi chuckled nervously, her eyes darting around.

Negi noticed this but didn't take pay it much thought. He shook his head, and turned his attention back to the photograph on the desk. "I–In any case, Chachamaru, Satomi, we need you to help convert this photo to digital format and enhance it. We need to know who this guy is," he said, indicating the cloaked figure.

"No problem," Satomi said promptly, pulling a miniature laptop out of her white lab coat and placing it on the desk. "Chachamaru, kindly make a scan of the photo. Meanwhile, I'll link up to your interface and take it from there."

Now able to move freely, Chachamaru lifted up the photograph, and her eyes beeped three times. "Scan complete."

"Okay, now I just put it through the sharpening process. Now zoom, darken it a little bit. Now enhance the image. Let's see, 1000 kbps more oughtta do the trick … Got it! We've got a face, clear as day."

"Well?" McGonagall pressed her. "What does he look like?"

"Ewwwwwwwwwwww," was the only word to escape her lips.

InuYasha ventured a peek at the face on the screen and scoffed. "Feh. And I thought Naraku was hideous. That is one _ugly_ motherfucker."

"InuYasha, language!" Negi scolded, walking over to him. "I told you to –" That was when he saw the face on the screen, instantly causing him to fall silent. Leaning heavily on the desk, Negi began breathing hard. "It's worse than I thought. My worst fears are realized," he whispered, so softly no one else heard him.

With an expression of absolute conviction, he turned to Professor McGonagall, who was looking quite perturbed. "Professor, cancel all classes at once and gather the teachers. This cannot wait."

"What? What is the meaning of this, Professor Springfield?"

"Please, just do it," he pleaded, looking down. "The students must be sent away." Looking into the elderly woman's eyes, he spoke words he'd hoped he would never have to speak. "I don't know how, but …

"He's back again. Lord Voldemort … is alive again."

* * *

Well, how do you like that? Trelawney's prediction has come to pass. Lord Voldemort is now walking the Earth again. Negi's decision will shake the very foundations of Hogwarts. For over a millennium, Hogwarts has always been a place of learning, but now war will soon tear Hogwarts apart like it never has before. Will the legendary school be reduced to a mere training ground in preparation for all–out war? Will the teachers listen to Negi's plea and send the students into hiding? Because now that the man who once slithered upon the Earth is alive again, not even Hogwarts will be safe for long.

And what of Kagome's fate? "Tragedy will once again strike the one of mixed blood." InuYasha seems certain her life is in imminent danger. McGonagall has told InuYasha to forget this ever happened. Will he do that? MY ASS HE'LL DO IT!

Many things are about to be set in motion. Don't miss it, and don't forget to review!


	48. Happy Anniversary!

Sorry for the absence, but it was a necessary one.

I have been gearing up for this day all–month–long. This day makes the one year anniversary of the start of this fic and my first post on Fanfiction! What's more, this fic has scored well over 12,000 hits in its first 12 months, which makes he happier than anything that has happened ever since my college graduation 7 months ago. This obviously tells me I've been doing something right with this.

This chapter will be the first Special Chapter in well over 6 months.

The purpose of this chapter is a sad one, and honestly, it has been killing me on the inside ever since I decided to carry this decision out, but it is important, because this chapter's events will set the next phase of this fic in motion for our friends at Hogwarts, and probably their enemies too! For the next several chapters, the attitude of the fic will sadden, but things will get better in more ways than one. Trust me!


	49. Special Chapter 6

After that "Happy Anniversary" thing, I left you with quite a bit of a sense of foreshadowing. Well, you haven't seen nothing yet! But that will come later. For now ... enjoy!

**Edited for error: 10/25/2012**

* * *

Also, I want to give a happy shout–out to my friend, Christina, who celebrated her birthday last week! Love ya, girl!

* * *

Tragedy Strikes! The Return of an Old Enemy

It took over an hour to get a hold of every teacher in the castle, but after a while everyone was sitting at the big table in the Teacher's Lounge.

"What is the meaning of this, Minerva?" Professor Sprout asked in earnest.

"Cancelling classes is unheard of here at Hogwarts," Madam Hooch added. "What could be going on?"

"An old enemy of the wizarding world has returned. It is unknown how it happened, but you all have a right to know the situation. Professor Springfield?"

"Yes, Professor," Negi said hastily. He turned to the magical projector beside him. "I must warn you before I show you this. Earlier today, a single assassin wiped out the Kansai Magic Association in Japan, slaughtering everyone in the main temple. There was only one piece of evidence: a single photo of the assailant. It's an enemy this school knows very well. I think … you should take a deep breath before I –"

"Oh just get it over with, already!" Koga pounded on the table, taking off a chunk of the corner. "Oops."

Negi took a deep breath. "Very well, then." He tapped the projector with his staff, and the image appeared on the wall.

There was a loud gasp as more than half of the teachers' breath caught in their throats. The crystal–clear image of Lord Voldemort was plastered on the far wall of the room.

Professor Sprout's hands went to her mouth and her eyes dilated.

Madam Pomfrey's eyes began to tear up.

Professor Slughorn coughed furiously and spoke the first words. "But that's impossible! He's been dead for six years!"

"BLIMEY!" Hagrid roared. "That ruddy bastard just won' stay dead! Never has stayed dead for long."

"What do you mean?" InuYasha stared down the table at him. "You mean the sonuvabitch was dead once already and came back?"

"Not … completely," McGonagall told him.

"What do you mean, 'not completely'?" Koga pressed. "Was he just half–dead or something?"

"It appears we don't know the full story behind his state of being during that interval of time," Takamichi admitted. "Negi, do we have anyone in the castle who can fully explain to us what happened to him?"

"Yes. Mr. Potter knows the full story," he told them. "He confided some of the details unto me. However, I can't fully explain it myself."

"Then our way is clear," McGonagall declared. "Miss Kagome, would you go and fetch Potter for us. He should be in the Great Hall as we speak."

"Sure," Kagome smiled from where she stood near InuYasha's chair. "I'll be right back." And then she was gone, before InuYasha could say anything. He still hadn't told her about the prophecy and he was worried for her safety.

_She'll be alright_, he thought to himself hopefully as the girl dashed out the door with a flip of her green mini–skirt.

"Now," McGonagall went on. "Professor Springfield?"

"Yes ma'am?"

"You hinted earlier that you had something to tell us. Perhaps you could enlighten us."

"Yes. You're right," Negi breathed deeply. "You all have a right to know. It's about Fate Averruncus." At hearing this, Professor Flitwick's eyebrows twitched. "The truth about it is … this one is not the only 'Fate' in existence anymore."

"Oh. But what'd you mean?" Flitwick exclaimed, completely confused.

"Recently, Tertium, the third Fate Averruncus, has been the main threat for a long time now. However, during our stay in the Magical World … three more Fate's were revealed to have been created by Tertium, simply identified as the Fate of Earth. All three new Fate's have the most potent of abilities pertaining to their abilities.

"The fourth is Quartum, the Fate of Fire, as the name suggests, a fire–using mage. Professor McGonagall, when we saw Chachamaru earlier, she was in the process of undergoing special operations to return her to 100% efficiency. During the rescue of my friends, he split Chachamaru in half with a single spell, melting at least half of her body. Fortunately, she's a robot, so she lived.

"Quintum, the Fate of Wind is a wind and lightning user, like me. During the same rescue operation, he struck down Nodoka with a bolt of lightning. It was a miracle she survived. Ever since, I've sworn to destroy that one personally."

"Well?" Hagrid pressed. "What about the last one?"

"The last is Sextum, the Fate of Water, a water user. This one confronted my group and I when we were recovering from a battle with one of Fate's generals. I was in a state of incapacitation. I still have trouble remembering how we escaped with our lives."

_He would_, Takamichi thought with a hidden smile.

"Fortunately, I was able to stop her from freezing my students. Almost before I realized it, I had destroyed her barrier and she was lying naked at my feet. After that ... some one else interfered with her and sent us to find Fate."

"B–b–but how?" Flitwick asked in a panic. "How in the name of Merlin could he create more Fate's? That would require power equivalent to that of the Mage of the Beginning!"

At his words, all eyes in the room turned to him.

"I … I don't think I ever mentioned the Mage of the Beginning," Negi tried to warn him.

"Oh!" he gasped, just realizing his outburst. "Well … you see … about –"

But before he could say anymore, they heard a commotion of sounds and voices.

"What could that be?" Professor Sprout wondered.

"Sounds like a crowd gathering by that huge hall," Koga said, rubbing his ears and straining to listen.

_I've got a bad feeling about this_, InuYasha thought and made for the door, but just as he opened it, he heard Shippo scurrying toward the lounge.

"INUYASHA! INUYASHAAA!" Shippo screamed as he leaped onto InuYasha's face. "It's terrible! It's just terrible!"

Sensing the trouble, the teachers began to get out of their seats, Negi among the first to reach them. "Shippo, calm down now," he tried to soothe the little fox. "Tell us what happ–"

"IT'S KAGOME!" Shippo wailed, burying his face in Negi's chest. "She – she –she – she fell down the stairs on her way to dinner."

At those words InuYasha's heart skipped several beats. He made a mad break for the door, nearly ripping it off its hinges as he began to leave.

"And – and – and – and … SHE'S NOT MOVING!" he screamed, tears pouring down his cheeks.

BA–DMP! InuYasha's heart leaped into his throat. _No. No! NO! NOOOOO!_ He tore out of the room, headed straight for the Great Hall, looking the most fearful he'd ever looked in his life.

"Come on, we have to follow him! We can put this discussion on hold," Negi cried and they all ran out of the room, chasing after the distraught InuYasha.

"Hey," he said to Professor Flitwick as they ran. "Be careful. Especially if you don't want them to know about _that_! I'll tell you later about the new Fate's."

"Right," Flitwick nodded as he strained to keep with everyone else on his short legs. "I'll leave things to you."

* * *

As InuYasha reached the entrance hall, he leaped from the top of the staircase above everyone's heads, taking in everything in all at once as he flew. A huge crowd of black–clad kids gathering around a duo of figures whom he identified as Sango and Miroku, cradling the lifeless body of the young, black–haired girl he loved so much. "NO!" he couldn't stop himself from crying out as he hung in the air, his red cloak flapping in the wind.

At his word, Miroku and Sango looked up at him. He saw tears in their eyes.

"Look out below if you want to live!" The students scattered as he came down hard next to Kagome's body.

Not wasting a second, he grabbed his girlfriend by the shoulders and wrenched her out of Miroku's arms. "Kagome?! Speak to me, Kagome!" he tried to talk to her, but her eyes didn't open. Not even a twitch. "KAGOME! You better not die on me, you stupid … you stupid –" Tears began to flow freely down his cheeks like they never had before. "Damn it. DAAAAAAAAAAAMN IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!" His distraught howl echoed throughout the whole of Hogwarts castle.

By now, all of the teachers had reached the scene of the disaster. Koga was rubbing his ears. "Damn you, mutt. Could you scream any louder?! My eardrums are –" That was when he opened his eyes and saw the state the girl he had chased after for so long was in. "Ka – Ka – Ka – Kagome? Kagome?! No! This can't be happening." He tried to take her in his arms but InuYasha wouldn't let him touch her.

"Hands off, you stupid wolf," he whispered to his former rival–in–love.

Koga was about to protest when he felt Ayame's gaze on his back and decided not to do anything more.

Weaving her way through the crowd, Madam Pomfrey crouched down beside Kagome and InuYasha. "Excuse me," she said politely as she ran her hand delicately over Kagome's face and upper body. "Assorted broken bones, internal bleeding, but it was her neck that killer her. Must have broken it on the way down. Probably died before she hit the bottom. Poor thing," she said shakily as she wiped a tear from her eye, turning to lead the wailing Shippo away from the scene. She didn't feel this was a place for a child to be.

"So," InuYasha whispered again. "You're sure?"

"Yes," she answered him sadly. "I'm so … so sorry."

"She was such a sweet girl," he heard her say as she walked away. "Could do no wrong …"

Sango's face was in her hands and Miroku had taken her by the shoulder and held her to his chest and hugged her gently. They couldn't believe the girl who had brought them all together was gone forever.

InuYasha held Kagome's body close and pressed her against his chest. "Mi – Miroku … will you … perform a memorial service for her?" he asked his friend at last, in a shaky voice.

"Of course I will, InuYasha," the young monk responded, wiping away his tears with his right hand, stroking Sango's hair with his left as he cradled her to his chest. "We'll give her the finest sending off I can arrange."

As the teachers dispersed the students, Professor McGonagall put her hand on InuYasha's shoulder. "We should take care of her body. This is not the place for something like this."

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" he shouted at her at the top of his lungs, tears still glistening in his eyes and on his cheeks. "Just … leave us alone." With an almost dead expression on his face, he picked up Kagome and carried her out of the castle, heading toward the forest.

"What's he doing, going into the forest at this time of night?" Professor Sprout asked in concern.

"Doesn't he know the werewolves come out at night?" Hagrid added.

"Will he be alright?" Slughorn wondered.

"I'm more worried about the werewolves than the mutt," Koga said quite unworriedly, his arms crossed over his chest. "I've never seen him like this. If anyone talks to him anytime soon, he'd probably slit their throats without a moment's hesitation."

"I second that," Negi agreed with him, coming up from behind them. "I'd be ready to kill the first thing to make eye contact with me if one of my students had just been killed."

"What? Killed?!" Koga spat, taken aback at the very idea. "You mean this wasn't an accident?!"

"Are you insinuating that a murder was just committed within Hogwarts' walls?" McGonagall asked in shock.

"Well I'm not quite sure just yet, but it would fit with what happened the other day."

"You're speaking of the incident last night?" Sango interrupted, walking over alongside Miroku.

"What's all the yelling about?"

Everyone turned around to see Kakashi and Naruto return from evening guard duty. "Yeah, what's all the commotion for?" Naruto repeated his sensei's words. "Did something happen?"

"You're damn right something happened!" Koga yelled. "Kagome's just been –"

But Negi clamped his hand over his mouth before he could say anymore.

"Don't worry," he said. "I'll explain everything, but now we need to take care of matters. Kakashi–Sensei, I'll need to speak with you immediately. It is of the utmost importance. I'll meet you in the teachers' lounge."

"Very well," Kakashi answered him. "I'll just wait for you there." Then he walked away to the lounge, leaving a flustered Naruto standing there in confusion.

"This isn't good," Negi said, shaking his head, watching InuYasha as he disappeared into the darkness of the trees and bushes. "This isn't good at all!"

"Wait. What do you mean?" Naruto asked, looking back and forth from InuYasha to Negi. "Come on, tell me."

"The look on his face," Negi said, his eyes filled with worry. "Didn't you see that dead look on his face?

"Come to think of it, yeah. He was completely out of it. So what gives?"

"His girlfriend just died," McGonagall told him bluntly.

"WHAT?!"

"Do you remember what he said before? He said, 'Leave _us_ alone. It must be denial, the first stage of grief," Negi went on despite Naruto's confusion. "When he carried her away, he had that empty expression that gave the impression that he hasn't accepted the reality of the situation."

"I see," Naruto said, his head down, as if in mourning.

"You seem to understand," McGonagall looked at him with her piercing gaze. "You knew someone who died."

"Yeah," Naruto said, turning around. "More than one." He walked into the castle and into the Great Hall to get his dinner.

Miroku and Sango joined them. "What we going to do?" Miroku ventured.

"About InuYasha?" Negi guessed. "He should come out of the grieving cycle in a few days. Professor, we'll be needed to do a little damage control in the forest within the next 48 hours."

"What for?"

"The second stage of grief: anger. He'll probably level more than half the forest with his level of power."

"No, I was referring to Kagome," Miroku corrected the boy. "We need to take proper care of Kagome's body for … the funeral."

Then, to everyone's surprise, they heard an otherworldly voice break the silence. "A ha ha!" the voice laughed, as though someone had just told a joke. "Maybe there won't have to be one! The funeral, I mean! Heh heh."

* * *

For all those who hate me now because you love Kagome, you have all the reason to. Personally, I hate myself for doing it. But don't stop reading just yet! This voice everyone has just heard will reveal something that will change the outlook of this whole situation.

**Feel free to review! Maybe some encouragement from you all will help me get over my self–hate and do something about the current state of affairs. You know, move things along before the depression over losing Kagome has a chance to set in.**


	50. Chapter 38: The Problem Solver

Let me thank you all for hanging in there for the last while while I tried to handle the this chapter despite all the threats I received in reviews and PMs (I perfectly understand, by the way, but in all seriousness, a lynch mob, Ryuus2? **COME ON! **I'm a Sociology student. Do you know what that idea alone does to me?).

I hated killing Kagome, but just know now that everything will be alright. In fact, with what I have in store, things will be better than ever, and it all starts here! We'll be seeing a certain anime favorite in future chapters, I guarantee!

By the way, I saw the first episode of the Animax Asia InuYasha The Final Act in English dub online, and the none of the characters sound like themselves. I don't know if this is going to be the official English dub, but if it is, then dub fans of InuYasha may have trouble adjusting, like me.

**Edited: 12/13/12**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not – I repeat, I do NOT – own Dragon Ball Z, nor do I own the rights to names of any other fictional characters.

* * *

The Problem Solver

"You guys are in a bit of a situation I see," the mysterious voice continued.

"Who is that?" McGonagall said in confusion, looking around to see who it was. "Where are you?"

"A ha ha," the voice laughed again. "Look for me all you want, you'll never find me. I'm not a part of your world."

"Not a part of our world?" Miroku repeated quietly to himself, looking upward. "Do you mean you're in the Netherworld?"

"Close, or rather, it's the equivalent of what you know as the Netherworld. I'm in Other World, and my name … is King Kai! I'm the man who watches over Earth and your part of the universe. I'm using my powers to contact you telepathically.

"And added to it, I'm the funniest man in the universe, as well as your problem solver."

"Well, that's some kind of freaky," Koga retorted. "Does that mean you're reading our minds or something?"

"No, not really," King Kai replied. "Whatever you say, I can hear, and what ever I say, you can hear in your head. Get it?"

"Yeah, I think I get it," Naruto thought out loud, scratching his head.

Suddenly, everyone started laughing. Even Professor McGonagall chuckled lightly. Looking around, Naruto started to get freaked out. "Hey, what's everybody laughing at?"

Negi recovered first. "King Kai just said his blood alcohol level is higher than your I.Q. Ha ha. And he's never gotten drunk in the last six years – not even once!" Then he fell to the floor in a fit of laughter.

Now everyone was laughing harder from hearing it a second time. Sango and Miroku were gripping and grabbing at each other just to stay on their feet they were laughing so hard. It didn't matter where Miroku's or Sango's hands went. Neither of them noticed nor cared.

Ron and Neville, who had come out with Harry and Hermione to see what was going on, were starting to laugh because of all the laughing around them, even though they didn't know what they were laughing at.

Sakura, Choji and Lee, on the other hand, who had just returned from look–out duty in the castle towers had heard the joke and were now struggling to keep straight faces.

But Naruto wasn't laughing. His face was as red as Ron's hair and getting redder by the second. He'd never been so embarrassed, even all those times he'd stepped in dog stool or kissed Sasuke Uchiha three years ago.

"Anyway," Negi continued. "King Kai, you mentioned something about not needing a funeral. Please explain."

"Certainly, my boy," King Kai's voice replied happily. "You see, you won't need a funeral because I can help you arrange to bring her back to life."

For the next ten seconds, the only sound to be heard was the sound of silence. Before anyone could say anything, the front tree in the forest collapsed as InuYasha came crashing through the brush, a look of pure panic on his face.

"HEY, WHO'S THE WISE GUY?!" he shouted frantically. "KAGOME'S BODY JUST DISAPPEARED!"

"A ha ha!" King Kai chortled. "Who indeed?"

"HEY! WHO'S THERE?!" InuYasha roared into the empty air around him.

"My name is King Kai, and I'm the guy who's gonna solve all your problems, InuYasha."

"What? My problems? And hey, how'd you know my name?!" he called, feeling stupid just talking to thin air.

* * *

"How?" King Kai retorted from where he stood on the grassy plains of the Grand Kai's planet in Other World, proudly watching his many students training hard around him. "AH! There she is! I know because I have someone here with me who you know very well."

"Really, who?" InuYasha said in confusion.

"Well, let's just say I pulled a couple of strings with King Yemma, the judge here in Other World. He decides whether a person can go to Heaven, Hell or here to see me. I had her body preserved and her soul brought here to me. And let's just say your friend has racked up quite a bit of merit slaying demons with you back in the Feudal Era. Any ideas?"

* * *

"Wait!" InuYasha exclaimed, getting a little excited. "Kagome? Is Kagome there with you?!"

"DING DING! Give the dog a treat! Ha ha!" King Kai replied. "She's right here with me. Want to say 'hi'?"

"What? But how?"

But before either could say more, Kagome's voice rang through the air. "InuYasha. InuYasha!"

InuYasha gasped. "Kagome! Is it really you?"

"Yes, InuYasha, it's me!" she replied. "I'm so happy to hear you're voice. King Kai's letting me talk to you right now. Please don't worry. He's reassured me that I can come back. I'll see you guys soon, so please wait for me."

And then everything was silent.

"Kagome?" InuYasha called in concern. "KAGOME!"

"What's up, InuYasha?" Miroku asked, walking up to him, Sango beside him. "Is something wrong?"

But when InuYasha turned to them, he was laughing. "I must be going crazy, you guys, because I just talked to Kagome, and she says she's coming back!"

And as he conveyed what King Kai and Kagome had said, his friends' faces seemed to get brighter and brighter.

"But how could this be true?" Miroku pressed him, grabbing InuYasha's shoulders. "We don't have any Sacred Jewel shards to bring her back."

"Oh, you won't need those!" King Kai's voice was back. "I have a better way to bring her back, no strings attached."

"Wh – what?!" Sango stuttered. "You mean, for real?"

"Yup," King Kai continued. "I've just contacted my prize student on Earth. He's currently at his son's wedding but he'll be in touch with me soon. He's the strongest man in the universe, and he can help you gather what you need. You see, there's this set of magical balls called the Dragon Balls. If you gather all seven balls together, you can have any wish granted."

"Wait a minute," Miroku stopped him again. "When you say 'any wish,' do you mean –?"

"THAT'S RIGHT!" King Kai told him. "_Any_ wish, whether it be to grant you immortality, bring someone back to life – virtually anything!"

"Really? Wow!"

"InuYasha? InuYasha?" Sango exclaimed suddenly. "Miroku, something's wrong."

"What is it?" he asked, turning around.

"It's like InuYasha's in some kind of trance. He won't snap out of it."

She was right. InuYasha was just standing there, stunned, a blank look in his eye, no matter how many times she waved her hand in front of his face.

"It's probably just the happiness shock setting in," King Kai said simply. "But don't worry. He'll be fine. He's probably just so happy, his brain just crashed or something." He had to laugh at that.

* * *

"Are you sure you shouldn't have told him more?" King Kai asked Kagome as he turned around to face his new visitor. "I'm not sure they'll be able to rest easy with so little information to go with."

"I have my own reasons for that, sir," Kagome smiled at him, a sparkling halo floating above her head. "If I told InuYasha I wasn't coming back right away, he'd probably go into a fixed rage."

"Now you're sure you want to stay here for a month and train under me? It'll be tough," he said as he looked her in the eye.

"It's kinda tough just to stand up here," she replied, her legs wobbling just to hold herself up at a near–vertical base.

"Heh heh, yeah. It'll take a couple of days, but you'll get used to that. The Grand Kai's planet is bigger than mine was, but it's still much smaller than Earth. And with a smaller planetary radius –"

"Comes stronger gravity, right?" she finished the sentence for him. "So what's the pull here? About three times Earth gravity?"

"That's … right," he said in surprise. "Did you just read my mind? Do you know what I'm going to say next?"

"Uh … no."

After a pause, King Kai smiled and said, "Me neither! Aha ha! 'S been a long time since anyone finished my sentences before me. You know something, Kagome? I like you, and not just because you tamed InuYasha. Ha ha! So, I've decided to give you the King Kai Special! Ha ha! Gotta remember to write that one down."

"Uh … um," Kagome just looked at him blankly.

"Hmmmm," he said pensively, looking her over. "Okay, I'll overlook that one, but I make it a personal policy never to train someone without a sense of humor."

"A sense of humor? Are you telling a bad joke? When I was in elementary school, my friends called me the Queen of One–Liners," she forced herself to stand up straight and puffed out her chest with pride.

"Ooooooooh," King Kai squealed. "Well that's good, because your first task will depend on that, so for your sake, I hope you haven't lost your touch."

"Really?" she said curiously. "What's my first task?"

"Not so fast," he said, suddenly stern. "First, you have to tell me _why_ you want to train with me."

"Huh?"

"I don't like to train people with no purpose. If I agree to do this, you are going to have to tell me the whole story behind this request. Listen carefully, my dear. My training is incredibly unorthodox, but it is known for churning out extraordinary martial artists. I need to be sure that you are committed."

At that moment, Kagome's legs gave out, and she plopped down on the ground. "Oh my god! That's it. I can't stand up any more."

"Shall I pull up a chair for you?" King Kai smiled, and his antennae tips glimmered briefly, and a moment later, Kagome was sitting on a beanbag chair.

"Wow! That was amazing," she exclaimed in awe.

"Nah! You're amazing, sweetheart," King Kai responded in a deeper voice. "Now, that's good!" He couldn't stop himself from chuckling at this. But as he laughed at his own joke, Kagome just looked at him blankly once again.

All at once, his head sprang up and he gave her a cold look. "You told me, you had a sense of humor. That was a good joke, so why did you just stare at me?"

"Well, honestly," Kagome confessed. "It wasn't all that funny. Hit or miss, really. Besides, if that was really that funny, you wouldn't have to laugh at your own jokes. That's what the audience is there for, right?"

After giving her the same look for several more seconds, King Kai smiled. "Hm. You're right. That is what the audience is there for, but it never hurts to laugh at a joke you think is funny, even if you're the one who's telling it."

Kagome couldn't help but nod her head at his insight. "Gotta give you that one. You know your stuff." King Kai's nose seemed to double in length as he laughed with pride.

"Now then, let's hear your story," he said as he conjured another chair for himself.

Over the course of the next hour, Kagome told him about her relationship with InuYasha, as well as the conversation she had with Negi, leaving out the part that they had it in the bath – he didn't have to know that little detail.

"I made a promise, a promise that I would get strong – strong enough so that I won't need InuYasha to protect me anymore," she finished. "That's why I need to do this."

"Well, well, well," King Kai said with approval. _That boy, Negi … may be wise beyond even my years_._ Wait a minute, I think I just insulted myself?_ "I can't turn you away after hearing that. We'll begin right away."

"Right!" she cried, all fired up. "I won't fail."

"But first," King Kai interrupted, causing Kagome to face–plant into the grass. "There's something I need to take care of."

As she looked up, Kagome saw King Kai's antennae begin to wave through the air. "Ah, found him."

"Huh?"

"Watch and listen well," he looked back at her, before turning around. "Negi. Calling Negi Springfield … Don't worry. Your friend Kagome is just fine. In fact, I'm going to train her to help her get strong. We arranged for her to stay here a month, and I just wanted to let you in on something. Kagome's accident … wasn't an accident. Now don't panic! I know how to find out who's responsible. What? Of course, I can't know everything as it happens everywhere in the galaxy! I was watching over another planet when I felt something coming from Earth, and when I checked, I found Kagome's situation, as well as … some other things I'm becoming increasingly concerned about. But we'll get into that later. I happen to know of a brilliant young detective with skills to match. Did you know he stopped World War III when he was just 8 years old? Yes, there was. You just didn't realize it because it was stopped before war could be declared. I'll get in touch with him soon and have him meet you at Hogwarts. The case of 'Who Killed Kagome Higurashi' will be solved and the perp arrested in no time. I'll take care of everything. Gotta go now. Oh wait! One more thing. You might not want to lie to them about Fate's little friends like last time. Heh. Later."

He turned back to Kagome. "What do you mean?" she asked him. "That he shouldn't have lied about the other Fate's?"

"Oh, nothing, he'll probably tell you himself when he's ready. Now then, we should get ready to begin."

His face was suddenly serious. "Kagome Higarashi, you're first test is to make me laugh! If you can't make me laugh, I'm not going to train you."

"Mm," she nodded in acknowledgement. "Understood."

For the next several seconds, they simply locked eyes, neither daring to make a sound, until Kagome finally took a deep breath in. King Kai braced his jaw. He wasn't going to make this an easy one.

"Why did the turkey cross the road?"

"To lay an egg, like you will be if that joke is the best you can do. Try again."

Kagome smirked. "Touché. Well, how about this?" She reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone, and put it to her ear. "Hello? … Huh? Must be a bee on the other end, because all I'm hearing is a BZZZZZZZZZY signal!"

"Heh, not bad," King Kai smiled. "But your delivery needs a little work." He tried to hide his face from her by burying his mouth in his hands, but Kagome saw this.

_All he needs is one more little push and he'll be bawling._ She looked around and saw a glass window a short distance away. She ran straight at it, taking lots of effort to build up the necessary speed. When she reached it she pressed her face against it, hard, and when she turned back towards him, the imprint on the window looked exactly like a mask from a certain horror movie. "Scream."

All at once, King Kai began to spit and snort into his hands until he couldn't hold it back any longer. "AH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! 'SCREAM,' SHE SAYS! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

By now, he pounding the ground with one hand and holding his ribs with the other.

"Someone stop me, or he's gonna die laughing!" Kagome pretended to yell in panic. "Oops, too late!"

King Kai was on his back and starting to flail his limbs in the air in hysterics. He was laughing so hard tears were gushing from his eyes.

"Aww, poor King Kai? Did you fall down, go _boom_?" she asked, bending over ever–so–sweetly.

That did it.

King Kai started guffawing so hard he started losing the ability to breathe. He laughed so hard he completely lost all breath in his lungs and passed out.

By now, even Kagome was holding her ribs in a fit of laughter – King Kai's laughter was contagious.

* * *

It took several minutes for the Other World medics, including the Kai of the East, to revive Kagome's would–be teacher … until he saw Kagome's sweet smile. Then he broke out into a fit of spitting giggles until East Kai slapped him in the face. "Snap out of it, North Kai! What could be so funny anyway, you comedy–challenged freak?!"

"Oh, can it, East Kai!" King Kai snapped at her. "That is, *snort*, if there's any room left in that fat can of yours! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Even the medics started to chuckle at this. They all agreed with him about East Kai's ginormous rear end.

Kagome had to cover her mouth to hide her own laughter. _Snap, snap!_ She thought with glee as East Kai stormed off with a "Harrumph!"

* * *

At King Kai's behest, a plane soon arrived from King Yemma's palace, bringing to them King Kai's "training assistants," a monkey and a floating cricket.

When they got there, and Kagome saw strange insect, the first thing she said was, "Are you Jiminy Cricket?"

Her question sent King Kai sprawling, gasping for breath. "JIMINY CRICKET! AHAHAHAHA! This girl just can't be stopped! AHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Oooooooooooooooooh," the floating cricket steamed at his boss. "I wish you'd stop laughing at things at the drop of a hat, King Kai! Grow up already!"

King Kai didn't answer. He was too busy snickering at his new student's words.

"And _you_!" Gregory rounded on Kagome. "You should be more respectful to me! I don't know or care if you think I'm like some cartoon character. I could whoop you in less than a second if I wanted to, so watch your mouth!"

By now, King Kai had finally recovered his composure and had stood back up.

"Well, Kagome, you've owned up to your boasts, a true Princess of Puns. So, it's time to start your training."

"All right!" Kagome clenched her fists with a confident grin. "I'll do my best!"

"Right, well we'll get right into it." King Kai turned to the monkey. "You know what to do, Bubbles," he winked at his happy little pet.

"Oop oop," the monkey nodded and jumped on Kagome. If she hadn't turned her head away in time, Bubbles would have kissed her right on the lips before jumping down and running away across the grass.

Rubbing her cheek with her sleeve furiously, Kagome had to scream, "A FREAKING MONKEY ALMOST GAVE ME MY FIRST KISS! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!"

"Heh heh. This is the first part of your training, my girl. You must first get used to the heavy gravity here and catch my precious monkey, Bubbles! My guess is he just wanted to give you a little *heh heh* extra motivation. I gotta say, though, I didn't see _that_ coming. Hah ha."

But Kagome was barely listening, having already taken off at an awkward run after the playful monkey. "YOU'D BETTER HOPE I DON'T CATCH YOU, 'CUZ WHEN I DO, YOUR TAIL IS GOING TO BE IN KNOTS!" she yelled at him, her face red. "NEVER TRY TO TAKE A GIRL'S FIRST KISS AWAY FROM HER LIKE THAT OR YOU'RE GONNA DIEEEEEE!"

"Don't bother with that!" King Kai called after her. "Bubbles, Gregory and I and already dead!" This made him laugh yet again as he and Gregory watched his new young pupil struggle to keep up with his pet monkey. "Well, I'd better finish setting things in motion."

He turned around, and a small phone appeared in his hand. Picking up the receiver, he dialed a long number.

* * *

Back down on Earth, a young man picked up his phone with his thumb and pointer finger and held it near his ear. "Yes?"

* * *

And there you have it. Kagome's revival has already been set in motion, just like I promised, and she's revealed a side of herself not of us ever knew about, and she's already making good on her promise to Negi to make herself strong so that InuYasha won't feel the need to protect her anymore.

Just guess who the mystery man is! **I DARE YOU! If you can guess that, then you know what anime is coming into the story next!**

Also, since the Dragon Balls grant two wishes at this point (post end of the anime), one wish will be open for grabs.** I could use some ideas. TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK THE WISH SHOULD BE AND WHO SHOULD MAKE IT. REMEMBER, THERE'S A LOT OF POTENTIAL, GIVEN WHO'S AT HOGWARTS!**


	51. Chapter 39

I know this chapter is late – it has been a long time coming (almost six months hasn't it been?). Writer's Block SUCKS! Between my two jobs and my career search, finding time for fic writing is tough. Just had my first interview in two years – not so good, huh? Anyway, as many of you guessed it with your reviews (thanks by the way – shows how many of you actually care to share your opinion), the mystery detective (which was not that much of a mystery) was L, the famous Death Note co–star (or at least he deserves to be). And now, it's time for him to make his official entrance.

In addition, the gentleman (or at least I think it was a gentleman) who asked me about Karakura Town and Bleach's involvement was right. I have every intention of bringing it into this crazy fic of mine, but it has proven complicated, so please be patient.

So without further delay …

**Edited for error: 9/24/2012**

* * *

Magical Murder Mystery Tour

As everyone worked around him, the detective L sat in his chair with a despondent expression upon his face as he read massive amounts of information passing on his screen. Suddenly, a white screen with a large black "W" script in the center appeared, drawing everyone's attention. "Yes, Watari?" he answered.

"Ryuzaki, an unlisted caller is asking for you," a voice spoke over the loudspeaker.

"Did he leave a name?" L asked in his usual passive voice as his associates hurried to gather around him to listen.

"He left only an alias, the 'King of Komedy'," came the reply, and the name appeared on the lower right-hand side of the screen.

"The 'King of Komedy'?" L's detective partner Light Yagami echoed in confusion. "He misspelled 'comedy'."

"No, Light," L replied. "He just likes doing that. He thinks it's funny, but … personally I've never had much of a sense of humor. Makes him rather difficult to work with at times."

"But you _do_ know the person, Ryuzaki?" Light's father, Soichiro Yagami asked him.

"Yes, he called upon me once to solve a very … special case," he told his excitable underling. He stretched out a finger and pressed a button on his keyboard. "Watari, transfer his call to Line 1. Oh yeah, and … nobody else need listen to this conversation, so I'm switching off the connection to the tappers."

"But … Ryuzaki, if myself and the others cannot listen to the call, how can we –" Watari responded, caught off guard by the unusual request.

"Just do it, Watari," the detective gave the order as he reached for a phone sitting on the desk, which rang almost immediately. He picked up the receiver. "Yes?" As L answered, Light was sure he heard a "Knock, Knock!" come out of the small speaker next to L's ear.

After a few minutes of silence, L finally spoke up, "Listen, I told you to never call me that. And to be perfectly honest with you, I'm in no fit state to take another case." But not long after he spoke those words did his expression change significantly … for L anyway. About a minute later, he hung up the phone and stood up, the chain from the handcuffs connecting him to Light rattling. "Light, you and Watari will be accompanying me to England for the next day or two," he said passively as usual as he walked toward the door, pulling Light behind him.

"H-Hey, Ryuzaki, could you give me a chance to turn around?" Light asked him, walking backwards quite awkwardly behind him. "And ease up – you're going to rip my arm out."

"What?" several of the men around them exclaimed in unison.

"But Ryuzaki! What about the Kira Case?" Touta Matsuda, the second youngest member of the taskforce protested in bewilderment as L walked past him.

"Are you just running away from this after how far we've come?" Shuichi Aisawa yelled after his leader as he passed.

"No such thing," he answered slowly. "I am merely taking a couple of days to do our new … client a favor." He and Light walked out of the big room, leaving the remaining task force in stunned silence.

"What? Client?!" Light stuttered, now back to walking normally behind his partner–in–solving–crime. "What are we? Detectives–for–hire?"

"Like I said, Light," L looked back at him. "I'm doing this as a favor." Light was surprised to see that L was smiling – something that he rarely, if ever, did.

* * *

The next morning, Negi was getting ready for his first lesson of the week. He was just reaching for his suit pants when Asuna nearly broke down the door to his chambers and barged in, waving a newspaper. "HEY, NEGI!" she practically yelled at the top of her lungs as she reached him and opened the paper in his face, not even noticing yet that he was still in his underwear. "You'd better look at this!"

"Asuna, what's the matter?" he said, quite flustered. Then he saw the front page headline. "Karakura Town Wiped Off The Face Of The Earth In A Single Night?!"

"What?!" he gasped as he looked at the photograph taken at the scene of the destruction. There was a huge mass of jagged stone sticking out of the center of the crater – bigger than anything he'd ever seen in his life. "Oh, no! Asuna, isn't Karakura less than a hundred miles from the Mahora Campus?!"

"_Yeah_, that's right!" she pressed. "So what are we gonna do, Teach?! What're you doing just getting dressed all willy–nilly? The Dean, that old pervert, the rest of the girls … THEY'LL BE WIPED OUT!" she nearly screamed, unbeknownst to her for those early enough to the classroom to hear.

"Not necessarily, Asuna," Negi said, flipping through the pages rapidly, speed–reading everything as fast as he could. "Remember, Fate can travel huge distances in little time using his puddle teleportation spell. And there's no mention of the Mahora Campus being attacked at all. In addition, it says here that about one thousand bodies were discovered amongst the rubble, and yet so many more thousands resided within Karakura. That means that somehow the majority of the population escaped."

"What do you mean, 'escaped'?"

"If their bodies aren't found, then we should not consider them dead just yet," he held up a finger, as if to make a point.

"As for Mahora, do you remember what happened during our battle back in the Magic World? What happened when that world connected with the campus?"

"Hey, yeah. I vaguely remember seeing Old Man Konoe and a bunch of your dad's friends fighting off a bunch of Fate look-a-likes and some tall, black-robed freak. What I don't understand is, if Fate was on your side at that point – or at least I think he was, seeing as they were all defending the both of you – why does he seem so intent on destroying _this_ world now?"

"I don't know," Negi said slowly, pulling his pants up and fastening his belt. "In a brief moment, back when we last clashed, I saw into his past. He seemed the most … benign Averruncus of the bunch, lacking in all sorts of hatred. Something must have happened to him during the transfer from that world to this one. I don't like it, but to fight him now would be a bad idea."

"But why? Didn't you beat him already?"

"Yes," he said, walking to the door, ready to begin his class. "But I can't help thinking he was holding back for some reason. Perhaps at the time, he wanted to believe that there was another way to save the Magic World. Well, at least at this point, the Mage of the Beginning has retreated, thanks to Rakan, Ku:Nel and the others, and the remnants of the construct army are still recovering from the beating they took, we have ourselves a brief, if anything, reprieve in which to gather our strength and help to raise our own forces to full strength. And to add to it, with what King Kai said the other day about training Kagome in the Other World, and about his prize student coming all the way here to meet us …" at this, he made a fist and smiled a very confident smile. "We have a chance to save not only this world, but every other world as well."

Seeing his confidence, even in this most dire situation, Asuna couldn't help but relax and smile. _It's good to have the real Negi back. It's just not the same without that cool, calculating side of him_.

"Oh, and one last bit of good news," he said, opening the door just a crack. "I just received word from my sister this morning."

"Oh, you mean Nekane?"

"Yes," Negi smiled the biggest smile she'd seen him smile since they had first met. "My sister is engaged to be wed! And she and her fiancé are coming here very soon. I'm going to have a big brother, Asuna!"

* * *

Several hours later, L and Light were high in the sky on a helicopter, headed for the coordinates given to them by their client, the King of Komedy (King Kai).

"I still don't get it, Ryuzaki," Light told L from where he sat in the co–pilot's chair. "Why would you accept a case when we're right in the middle of such an important investigation?"

"This could be an important investigation in and of itself, Light," L answered passively.

"Why? What do you mean?"

"While I'm rather reluctant to believe it," he began. "An incident took place in a strange school here in Scotland a couple of days ago. A young girl was killed at this school."

"But what's so strange about it?" Light replied. "It's probably just an accidental death or something. How can you be sure it was murder?"

"The strange thing is, Light, that this school teaches, of all things, magic."

"W–wh–what?" Light stuttered in surprise. "But that can't be! Magic isn't real."

"I know," L agreed. "Or at least, I used to think so."

"Huh?"

"Ever since the Kira case began, I'd begun to suspect that supernatural phenomena might truly be plausible. Think about it, Light … causing heart attacks in perfectly healthy victims from great distances. If magic _were_ real, it would fit the bill, wouldn't it?"

"Hmm," Light thought out loud. "When you put it like that, it sounds perfectly logical. No, it seems it would only make sense."

"However, this death was probably not accidental. The King of Komedy sounded completely certain of this. Plus, it was not done by heart attack. The victim fell down a flight of stairs and died of a broken neck, or so I am told. And honestly, Light, I think that if we go to this school, we might get a useful hint towards the Kira case. It's a long shot, but if we can find out about any sort of magic that causes heart attacks, we might be able to figure out how Kira kills his victims, or at least get a little closer to a solution."

"Hmm," Light nodded. "When you say it like that, I guess I see where you're going with it. Hey, what's that?" he pointed out the cabin window towards a large ruin on the outskirts of a very dark and dense forest. "Could that be the place?"

"I don't see how," L replied. "The coordinates match up, but an old ruin can't be a school. There's no –"

But before he could finish his thought, the helicopter began to shudder and shake violently. Within seconds, it began to lose altitude.

"Uh, Ryuzaki? What's happening?" Light said, looking around him. "All of a sudden, I'm starting to think this was a big mistake."

"Don't let such thoughts cloud your judgment, Light," he responded, throwing switches and pressing buttons while holding tightly to the throttle, trying to keep them in the air.

"Up! UP!" Light urged him.

"Nothing's working! The controls aren't responding."

"Ryuzaki!"

They both turned to see Watari fighting his way back into the cabin. He was lightly scratched above his left eye, and was bleeding slightly. "Ryuzaki, Light, you have to abandon this aircraft."

"Watari, you're bleeding!" Light tried to get up and check the elderly man's injury, but a sudden quaking in the cabin threw him face first into his chair.

"No way I'm leaving you to die aboard this dying chopper! Hang on to something, both of you!" L shouted, now a hint of urgency, perhaps even desperation, in his voice. He pulled back on the throttle as hard as he could, and the helicopter's blades began to spin a little faster, keeping them aloft for the moment. However, they still seemed to be on a collision course with the ruins. Suddenly, the ruin wavered for a moment and turned into a huge castle. "Whoa!" he swerved to the left, just barely skimming a tower wall. "That was too close!"

* * *

Meanwhile, Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting in Gryffindor Tower, just sitting in the dimly lit common room. It was empty, except for them – all of the students were either finishing a class or were at lunch, and their friends had all been attending their favorite classes to pass the time.

"I just don't understand it," Harry sulked, his head hanging low. "How could Voldemort be alive again? And to make matters worse, murder was committed … _here at Hogwarts_! This hasn't happened for over 50 years! Since Voldemort was in school!" _That poor girl_ …

"Harry," Hermione put her hand on his shoulder. "It's no use moping about it. Neither occurrence was within any of our controls. Even if we have no idea what's happening, we can't just sit here doing nothing."

"She's right mate," Ron agreed, leaning in Harry's direction from where he sat across from Harry. "Everyone is doing something to help prepare the castle and the rest of the students for what's coming. There must be something that we can –"

"But _what?!_" Harry interrupted him. "What is coming? What are we supposed to be preparing for? If it's another war, we will need to be –"

Before he could finish his sentence, something huge hit the tower, throwing them and most of the common room's armchairs to the floor. "What the bloody Hell was that?!" Ron gasped as he got up and helped Hermione to her feet.

"Is it an attack?!" Hermione cried.

"I don't think so!" Harry said, hurrying to the window. "But I think we should get outside … and fast!"

* * *

"Where did that castle come from? Light yelled as their chopper began to sink again. "We've got to land this thing or we're all dead!"

"Working on that!" L said in annoyance. "Uh–oh! That's not good." The tail rotor was damaged by the contact they had made with the wall only seconds earlier. "The tail has been damaged. We're going down!"

"You've got to be kidding me!" Light reacted in panic, grabbing his seat from behind to brace himself. "LOOK OUT!" he gasped. "MIND THAT TREE!" he pointed out front in horror.

L looked out the front window and blanched. They were headed toward a gargantuan tree with limbs the width of ordinary tree trunks sticking out in every direction as the limbs seemed to wave in the light breeze, as impossible as it seemed. If the collision alone didn't kill them, then the crumpling and contorting of the helicopter would most likely suffice in doing just that.

The two young men could only look on as the tree got closer and closer.

* * *

Meanwhile, it was the midday break in classes and Negi and Lee were having a sparring match in the courtyard near the Whomping Willow tree with Takamichi and Guy observing. As they moved about, the tree would occasionally move in an attempt to swat them aside, causing them to take a break in the action to hone their reflexes and dodging speed by jumping between the limbs and dodging the branches that were trying to swat them like flies. Both boys were working up a good sweat, and as the tree moved to try and crush them under several of it's mighty limbs, they leaped up, pushed off the trunk and landed safely on an outcropping of rocks some twenty feet away.

"Phew!" Lee wiped the sweat from his large brow with his arm. "You are an excellent fighter, Professor Springfield!"

"So are you, Lee," Negi answered, returning his smile, sitting down to catch his breath. "I haven't had such an adept sparring partner in a long time. You really must teach me some of that mid–air combat style of yours. It's incredible."

"Only if you teach me the secret to your strength! How a child so much younger than I could attain such a high level of strength and skill is beyond even my wildest imagination!" Lee returned his request, walking over and sitting down beside him.

"Hey! Negi!" Takahata called down to them. "Let's break for now! Classes will be starting again soon, and a teacher shouldn't come to class all sweaty!"

"Okay, I'll be right there, Takamichi!" Negi answered.

"Take a break, Lee!" Guy called to his protégé. "Let's have us a private training session before lunch! We'll start with the usual marathon on our hands!"

"Yes sir!" Lee sprang to his feet. "Wait! What is that sound?" he looked around.

"Huh? What's wrong?" Negi asked in concern.

"I hear something coming this way. It does not sound like any beast I've ever heard."

They both stood there, waiting for a hint as to the source of the strange sound. Suddenly, a helicopter appeared out of nowhere, heading straight towards them.

"WHOA!" Lee cried, his eyes nearly jumping out of his skull. "What is that?"

"It's a helicopter!" Negi answered him, not taking his eyes off the sinking aircraft as it swerved to avoid contact with the North Tower, and failed. "Oh no!"

"It's going to crash into the tree!" Guy yelled over the howl of the wind from the helicopter's blades.

"This is bad!" Takamichi said under his breath. "Whoever's inside it is in great danger."

Negi sprang to his feet and instantly sized up the situation. "We've got to save them! Lee, Guy! Go back to the castle and get help! RIGHT NOW! HURRY!"

"WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK!" Guy yelled as he and Lee ran up the slope and back into the castle faster than Negi could say "Incipio confestem vis magica!"

"_MIA VIRGA!_" Negi shouted as he broke off at a run, going straight past the Whomping Willow before it could react to his motions. He jumped up and landed upright on his staff as it zoomed under his feet. Activating his Mighty Flames of Reflection and bracing himself for impact, Negi flew under the helicopter, planting himself between the landing skids. Taking a deep breath, he pushed with all his might against the flying machine. He pushed the hunk of metal back as hard as he could, finally bring it to a temporary rest just beyond the reaches of the Whomping Willow's branches. But as the wind roared around him, he knew it wouldn't last very long. He could hear his staff groaning beneath his feet. _No, my staff can't hold my weight AND the weight of this thing. It'll break at this rate_.

But it was never given the chance. Nearly wrenching its roots out of the ground, the flailing tree caught Negi's leg with some of its longer, thinner branches. It wasn't enough to cause injury, but it was plenty strong enough to knock his staff out from underneath him and throw Negi to the ground. Landing heavily on one knee, he looked up in horror, powerless to stop the falling chopper in time on his own.

_Damn it_, he thought. _I have no choice_. He opened his hands and two glowing white orbs appeared. "_Duplex_ –"

"_IMMOBULUS_!"

"_ARESTO MOMENTUM_!"

The chopper was inches from the Whomping Willow's flailing limbs when Harry and Hermione's voices rang through the clearing as they arrived on the scene, instantly stopping the tree's movement and stopping the helicopter's downward momentum, momentarily freezing it in midair, giving Ron, who was right behind them, time to act.

"_WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA_!" he roared, waving his wand to move the helicopter away from the still–frozen tree.

"Everyone," Negi sighed in relief, canceling the two orbs of light. "You got here just in time.

"Don't relax yet!" Ron yelled. He was struggling to keep his wand steady. "It's too big. Too heavy!" I can't hold it for long!" He was right – the helicopter was beginning to dip, its blades still whirling at a high rate. Any closer and it might start to rip up the Whomping Willow.

Negi thought hard for a moment and then snapped his fingers. "Yes. I know what to do. Hermione, help Ron keep the helicopter aloft! Harry, you and I need to rescue the crew! Call for your broom and follow me!" He jumped on his staff and took off into the air.

"Alright!" Hermione called to him, and whirled her wand. "_WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA_!" The helicopter leveled off, but she instantly felt the same weight that Ron was feeling. "HURRY, HARRY!"

Not missing a step, Harry waved his wand and shouted, "_ACCIO FIREBOLT_!" As his broom zoomed toward him, using his excellent Seeker's skill, Harry leapt onto his broom and took off after Negi, heading toward the helicopter.

"Go around that side and help the copilot! I'll get the others out!" Negi called to him as they neared the cabin. Harry nodded and zipped around to the right–hand side of the cabin and wrenched open the door as Negi circled around the left–hand side and did the same, except for the fact that he nearly ripped the door right off.

As Harry reached his arm inside, the brown–haired youth looked at him with a look of utter astonishment. "Come on!" he urged the boy, offering him his hand. "Get on, before it's too late!" But then he saw that both young men in the cockpit were handcuffed together.

By now, Negi had boarded the helicopter and now he was helping an elderly man toward the open door. Then Negi seemed to notice the bigger picture as well. _Time to improvise_, Harry decided. "Negi!" he called over the noise of the wind. "I'll take the old man! Can you take these two?!" Negi nodded and gently carried the wounded gentleman over to Harry and handed him over very carefully. Harry was secretly impressed at the boy's sense of balance despite how badly the helicopter was shaking.

"Get to the ground!" he called to Harry. "I'll take care of the rest."

As he got closer to the ground, he saw several teachers, including Professors McGonagall and Slughorn, with Miroku, Nodoka and Hagrid bringing up the rear. As he neared the ground, he hovered near Hagrid. "Hagrid! Can you get him to the hospital wing for us?"

"What's goin' on 'ere, Harry?!" Hagrid said in confusion. "What's all this lot?"

"I'll explain when I find out myself," Harry answered him quickly. "I need to help Negi."

"No need for tha', son!" Hagrid pointed upwards. "Looks like he's go' everythin' under control."

Harry looked up to see Negi hanging from his staff with the other two men shakily straddling it as it lowered itself to hover approximately three feet off the ground. As Negi's staff came to rest, he let his able–bodied passengers climb down to the ground.

"That was quite the experience," one of the them said in very monotone, almost emotionless voice. "So this is magic, then?" he looked at Negi very inquisitive way. "Doesn't seem at all like I imagined it."

"Eheh heh. Yeah, well … magic comes in –" Negi scratched his head awkwardly as Ron called out to him.

"JUST TELL US WHEN TO DROP IT ALREADY!" he shouted at Negi, who recovered almost instantly.

"All right, hold on for just a few more seconds!" he cried, closing his eyes and uttering a silent incantation. "Harry, use the Banishing Charm to sent it flying in five … four … three … two … NOW!"

"_DEPULSO!_" Harry shouted, pointing his wand at the helicopter and putting all his being into it. The helicopter looked like it had been hit with a giant baseball bat, flying towards Hagrid's little hut. "Oh no!"

"Me house!" Hagrid cried in distress, almost dropping the elderly man as he stared after the sailing hulk of metal. He looked at Negi in panic, but the boy was already acting.

"… _Coeuntes sagittent inimicum! Sagitta Magica Series –"_ Negi was about to fire his magic arrows when McGonagall held her arm out in front of him to stop him. In an instant, he saw why – during the commotion Miroku had run down to the base of the hill below, having somehow predicted where the situation would lead.

"WIND TUNNEL!" the monk roared as he ripped the rosary from his right arm and exposed his right palm, from which appeared a massive vortex that seemed to suck the thing out of the air and into his hand. As soon as the black mass of steel had vanished from sight, he closed his fist and wrapped the beads around his hand and arm again. "Whew. That was close. That flying chariot almost demolished Hagrid's house." But as he walked back up the slope, he saw everybody staring at him with drooping jaws. Chuckling lightly, he scratched his head awkwardly. "What? Didn't I tell you about my Wind Tunnel?" he asked, but when he saw their eyes get wider, he chuckled again. "I'll explain, but later. Don't we have business to attend to, like getting to the bottom of what happened to Kagome?"

At the sound of that name, one of the boys' eyebrows raised slightly, but he hid it well. He turned to crowd of onlookers. "Yes, I suppose we do. Namely exposing what really happened to the girl."

"Yes," McGonagall stepped forward. "I take it one of you is the detective 'L' that we have heard about?"

"Y–Yes," Nodoka added, making her presence known. "Could you please tell us your names?"

The dark-haired young man with a white long-sleeved shirt and faded jeans cleared his throat. "Until the case is solved and we have left, you are to refer to me as Ryuzaki. We don't want anyone beyond these castle walls that I am here."

"What do you mean by that?" McGonagall started at his words.

"I do not expect you all to realize this, but I am, at the moment, on the trail of a serial murderer the likes of which have never been matched in this world's history. He uses an … otherworldly ability to kill his victims remotely, so frankly … it could be anyone. Best not to take any chances."

McGonagall looked like she was ready to burst a blood vessel when the other young man, a much more well-kempt Japanese youth stepped in between them and tried to calm the elderly woman down. "Please excuse him. That is just the way he is," he held his hands up in front of him in a defensive, yet soothing manner. "My name is Light Asahi, Ryuzaki's … partner, if you would."

"I take it that is why you are … handcuffed together?" she questioned them, indicating the lengthy chain connecting the thick metal bands on their wrists.

"Uh. W–well," Light stammered. "That's a long –"

"To make the long story short," Ryuzaki interrupted. "Light here has been under suspicion of being the murderer, so in order to ensure both his innocence and my own safety, we both agreed to work together, never leaving the other's side until the case was closed."

"R–Ryuzaki!" Light sputtered in shock. "Why did you tell them that?!" He grabbed his friend by the shirt.

"I was only answering her question, Light," Ryuzaki replied flatly.

"Well, you didn't have to do it so bluntly!" Light yelled back in his face.

"AHEM!" Sango's voice rang out so loudly and so abruptly that everyone nearly jumped out of his or her skin. "Excuse me, but I think we're forgetting why these two are here in the first place?"

Choking back his own gasps, Negi cleared his throat and calmed himself down. "I think it's time we got L, whichever one he is, all set up. I'll lend him my office as the investigation headquarters."

"Pro–Professor Springfield!" McGonagall stammered in amazement at his willingness to accept the two youths despite their impertinence.

"Hm? Office?" Ryuzaki blurted out in surprise.

"Professor?!" Light followed almost immediately, staring at the diminutive boy standing before them in disbelief.

"Forgive me for asking, but isn't it a little farfetched for a nine–year–old boy to be a 'Professor'?"

"Unless it's just a game of 'Pretend' or something," Light added.

"Errrrg," Negi seethed. "First of all, I'm _eleven_, and I _am_ a teacher here! I know the two of you are new to this kind of thing, but let's just say here at Hogwarts, age matters little among the faculty. It is magical talent and knowledge that determines one's eligibility to become a Professor in your area of expertise."

"Wow," Light could only look at him in astonishment. _Maybe he's not just a kid playing "Pretend" after all_.

"Now then, if you would follow me?" Negi said with authority that Light had to admit was becoming of a teacher.

"Well, Ryuzaki?" he turned to his associate. "Shall we?"

"Hm. I suppose so," he replied in his usual uninterested tone. "After all, the sooner we get started, the sooner we can get back to the Kira Case."

"Um, excuse me!" Nodoka's voice made the two of them stop in their tracks. "Professor, don't be fooled! They're lying!" She pointed at Light. "That one's real name is Light Yagami!"

As soon as she spoke his real name, Light's eyes opened wide and he began to put things together in his head. _She knows my real name. But how? … Unless she was Kira all along!_ He whirled around to face her, but Ryuzaki was already moving, jerking Light off his feet and face–first into the ground.

"And his name is L La –" but that was all she could say before L tackled her to the ground, slapping his right hand around her face, covering her mouth and holding her arm behind her back with his left. Struggling to keep her under his control, he wrestled her to her feet.

Before any of the Hogwarts teachers could raise their wands to defend the poor girl, Negi and Miroku's staffs appeared, as if from thin air, pointed right at Ryuzaki's nose, and he certainly couldn't count on Light – he was still picking himself off the cold stone floor, his arm twisted by the sudden wrenching.

As the dust settled, everyone was awestruck at Ryuzaki's sudden attack on Nodoka. Sango was especially shocked at how quick Miroku had snapped to the younger girl's defense.

"Release the girl now," Miroku commanded. "She has done nothing to warrant such an unprovoked attack!"

"I was going to say that," Negi said forcefully, energy beginning to crackle in the air around him, his hair beginning to change color. "Release my precious student immediately or else!"

"Hmmm. Perhaps you're right," Ryuzaki said to him, still as calm and passive as ever. He turned his head to whisper in Nodoka's ear. "How 'bout it? I'll let you go under one condition."

"Rrg. She doesn't owe you any favors!" Miroku looked like he was ready to stick the spiked tip of his staff through Ryuzaki's head like a skewer through a slab of meat. "I will not let you take advantage of this girl."

"Huh? Take advantage of her?" Ryuzaki blinked. "I only meant making her promise to never speak my true name. It isn't as though I was going to demand that she bear my children or anything."

STAB!

As those words pierced his heart, Miroku clutched his staff with both hands, planted it on the stone floor and leaned against it – it was all he could do to prevent himself from falling over at the sudden words of the boy in front of him. They were the exact thing he was thinking of, but he didn't want anyone else to know it, even though he had a feeling that several people knew exactly that, seeing as Sango, McGonagall, and more than one other person was staring at him. After what seemed like an eternity, everyone who knew about Miroku's habits started laughing, especially Sango.

* * *

Spell Translation:

Aresto Momentum – Bring its momentum to a stop

Depulso – Push aside / Thrust away

Duplex – Double

Immobulus – Make it immovable (I think)

Wingardium Leviosa – Lift up high (I think)

* * *

Well now! How do you like that? I'm guessing you know the inspiration for the chapter title. I thought it was clever – what do you think?

L and Light had quite the magical experience, and they haven't even entered the castle yet! Did I handle their interactions alright by Obata and Ohba's designs? Please tell me, because those two were a tough part of this chapter. By the way, I've been planning that last bit with Nodoka and Miroku for _years_!

The next chapter will visit L and Light as they attempt to put the pieces of this puzzle together, but will it really be that easy, given all the implications of magic? And we'll even get a look at how Kagome is making out with King Kai's training.

Got any ideas you want to see me implement? Then **review this chapter** or **PM me** and we'll see if it will play into the plot I've got planned.


	52. Question for my readers

All of a sudden, I can't believe I didn't ask you guys this earlier. As of my last chapter, I've established that Nekane is engaged, but I never asked for an opinion as to who you all think the lucky man should be. I've had a plan regarding this for a while, but I want to see if any of you can think of a more suitable guy. No polls, no choices in this one, so think hard and give me your best shot, because only the best can beat what I have planned! **Use your imaginations and make me think twice, I triple dog dare you! **Methods are the same as usual, review or PM.

In addition, as of my next update, due to the numerous number of anime already in this fic, or to be introduced into the fic, will be moved out of the Anime/Manga (Negima) category and into the Misc (Anime X-Overs) category. ***Unregistered users especially, please take notice!***


	53. Chapter 40: An Unsolvable Case?

Even Bronchitis can't keep me down, and to prove it, I've just finished this chapter for your enjoyment. I had something special planned for Halloween, but in order to release that on time, I would have to skip lots of things, and that's something I cannot bring myself to do.

* * *

An Unsolvable Case?

Under King Kai's watchful eye, Kagome's training with Bubbles and Gregory continued, going on and on with minimal interruption. Back and forth, back and forth, Kagome chased after the ever–so–playful Bubbles. The monkey jumped, jogged and teased her as she tried and again to get her hands on him.

Finally, the girl collapsed on all fours, panting as cold sweat dripped from her face. Almost immediately, her arms gave out and her cheek hit the cool grass of the Grand Kai's planet. She sighed heavily in exhaustion, sitting up. "I can't do this," she said at last, falling to her back, her arms spread wide. "I give up. I'll never catch up with that freak of nature."

Letting out a loud sigh of disappointment, King Kai approached. "Down and out after one day? Booooooooooring. You need to have more confidence in yourself, Kagome."

"Huh?" she opened her eyes and looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean: you're too used to having your friends around to support you. Isn't this the whole purpose for your training with me – to condition yourself so you can fight without relying on your friends? Your archery skills are beyond anything I've seen in the last three hundred years, but that's not enough. You need strength, speed, agility – physical prowess! Nothing less than that will make your friend see that you can fight for yourself, that he won't have to protect you."

Kagome sat up, tugging at the neck of her uniform and wiping the sweat from her forehead.

"Listen, Kagome," King Kai went on. "I think I understand how you feel."

"Huh?"

"I was like you once. You think we Kais are chosen at birth? That's a joke that's never funny, especially to me. When I was your age, my friends always had to protect me too, and I was relying on them a lot. As much as I appreciated them caring about me, I was resentful of my own weakness. So I trained myself in secret. I would steal away every night and train my body in an isolated area. Soon, I began to develop revolutionary fighting techniques, and the Grand Kai took notice of my skills, inviting me to become a Kai and watch over the North side of space from here in Other World."

"Wow," Kagome could only whisper, now seeing King Kai in an entirely new light, and not because the sun, or whatever the source of light in Other World was, was gleaming over his shoulder. "That was beautiful." She picked herself up briskly, a whole new determination in her eyes. "You're right! I can't let myself get down like this. Please, can we get started again?"

"Ah ha ha! Well, of course," he laughed. _Worked like a charm! _"But first, you need a little R & R. First, we'll have some lunch, and then I'll see what I can do with those clothes of yours."

"What?"

"Well, that school uniform isn't exactly right for exercising in, is it?" he indicated the sailor–type school uniform she was wearing. "Plus, that must absorb a lot of sweat. Can't be very comfortable to run around with that thing sticking to your body, now can it?" he smiled.

Kagome looked down and saw he was right. With all that she'd been sweating in the last day, if her uniform were any more soaked, anyone would be able to see right through it. She covered herself in embarrassment. "I wish you'd told me before. What if somebody else sees me?"

"Heh heh, don't worry, girl. How's this?" his antennae flashed and suddenly, she was wearing a more thinning, form–fitting, and most noticeably, dry, green and white jumpsuit.

"Huh? Wow!" she said in amazement, looking herself over. "It's so light it's like I'm not wearing anything at all!" But she instantly blushed at her own words. "Wait, that's not what I meant! I – I meant I –"

"Ah ha ha ha!" King Kai laughed at his new protégé's words. "I knew I would take a liking to you.

"That jumpsuit is modeled after the outfit your friend, Sango uses," he went on, "but it uses much, much lighter material for minimal strain during training. This will provide you with maximum maneuverability as well as a much more stylish look, in my opinion."

_Well,__it__ really __does__ look__ cute. __Sexy __too,_ she thought to herself. _Imagine __InuYasha__'__s__ face __if__ he __saw __me__ in __this!_

"But before we begin training anew," he interrupted her thoughts. "I think you could use a well deserved–bath. I'll have one of my boys escort you to our bathing facilities at the North Quadrant barracks. Now let's see … who's handy right now?"

"Ah, good afternoon, King Kai. Training a new recruit, I presume?"

King Kai knew that voice. "HEEEY! Olibu, my boy! It's like you read my mind. Come on over, I have someone for you to meet." He turned to Kagome. "Kagome, this is Olibu, one of my prize students. He's from Earth, like you."

Kagome marveled at the hulk of a man towering over her head. He wore white Ancient Greek–style clothing with brown boots, white wristbands and an orange headband and had kind violet eyes and bright blonde hair. _Wowwwwwwwwww!_ "Uh, h – hi," she stammered in awe.

"Hi there," he smiled warmly. "It's very nice to meet you. Word around the barracks is King Kai had gotten himself a new student whom he's taken a keen interest in – I guess that's you."

"Huh, keen interest?" she said suspiciously, turning to look at King Kai, but Olibu just laughed.

"I know exactly what you're thinking, but it's not exactly like that."

"Huh?"

"Many of King Kai's most prominent students happen to be ones he took a keen interest in early–on in their training due to their background."

"A–hahem!" King Kai interrupted them. "Yes, well, we can exchange pleasantries and other gossip later. Olibu, please give Kagome a tour of our home sweet home. She's been working out a lot and needs to … freshen up. Heh heh."

"Certainly," the muscular man nodded, offering Kagome him arm, only to remember the difference in size between them. Laughing in spite of himself, he gently patted her on the back and led her away.

King Kai was about to follow when his antennae pinged. "Huh? Yes? Ohhhhhhh, Shige, my old friend! How long has it been? 1000 years? 1050? … Well, I can't really say things have been too great for me this past decade. How are you? Have you heard about what going on down on Earth? Oh, that _is_ a tragedy. Those poor people … Huh? You're sending them where?"

And as King Kai continued to stand there, listening to his old friend speak, he began to stare off into empty space. "What will happen now, I wonder?"

* * *

"Well, Ryuzaki," Light turned to his partner as they situated themselves in Negi's office. "Let's get to work, or we'll be here all week."

"You're right, Light," Ryuzaki said in his emotionless way. He turned to Negi and Professor McGonagall. "We will need a few things in order to conduct this little investigation."

"Yes, well," McGonagall spoke cautiously. "Tell us what you need and we will prepare it for you."

Ryuzaki hopped on Negi's desk chair and squatted down in the chair – his own unique sitting position – if he didn't sit this way, his deductive ability diminished by nearly half. "Are there any people we know who are especially close to the deceased, and when I say that, I mean close enough to create this tragedy?"

"What? What do you mean by that?" she spluttered defensively.

"I mean this: I believe this murder was committed not out of personal issues with the deceased."

"WHAT?" Negi gasped. "Are you saying someone killed Kagome to get to one of us?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Ryuzaki stated plainly as Light pulled up another chair to sit beside him, taking a normal seated position.

"Well," Miroku explained, coming through the door, his staff's rings jingling. "Besides Sango, Shippo and myself, there may be one more, but trust me when I say this. You _don__'__t_ want to bother him."

"Huh? But what do you mean?" Light inquired curiously.

"In the state InuYasha in right now, if someone even looks at him funny, he'll probably go ballistic and kill whatever and whoever is nearest to him," Sango explained to them, walking into the room to stand beside Miroku. "And I'd say you look at everyone funny, Ryuzaki – if that's even your real name, which I doubt."

Shippo, who was on Sango's shoulder, raised his hand. "Hey, what about Koga? Isn't he pretty close to Kagome, too?"

Sango put her hand to her chin, thinking hard. "Well, it is true that Kagome did care about Koga to an extent, and he did consider her "his woman" for the longest time."

"Very well, then," Ryuzaki raised his head. "Bring this 'Koga' to me. I'd like to ask him a few questions. And while we are speaking, I'm going to require a few books from this school's library."

"What kinds?" Negi asked, now becoming excited by the concept of participating in a criminal investigation for once, instead of being investigated.

"All kinds," he said, not turning to look at him. "But put emphasis on books containing material regarding deadly force. Oh, and one last thing … bring me some sweets, if you don't mind. I find sugar helps me think."

* * *

After interrogating Koga for several minutes, Ryuzaki had enough answers about the one whom he was investigating, as well as a quite a few suspects, which took several hours to track down, even with Koga's keen nose and memory for faces, which was shoddy at best. Regardless of such, however, Ryuzaki was sure that one of these people was connected to the murder in some way. He paced on the balcony overlooking the classroom below, nearly half of which was filled with confused looking people, but young and … not–so–young. He had already gone through every book brought to him by Negi, Professor McGonagall and Madam Pince, the librarian, but had found nothing that had proven significant in providing him with a hint of a hint. If things went on the way they were, this case may take him longer than he thought.

"I've gathered you all here tonight because I believe there is a murderer in this room."

There was an audible gasp.

"So you think the murderer is one of us?" one of the adults protested, his red hair standing out among that of the others.

"Yeah. How do we know you're not the murderer?" a large young man asked objectively.

"Because he's the detective, you think–headed oaf," the man seated next to him, one with short, bright blonde hair. "Now be quiet."

"I'm going to need to bring you up here and ask you a few questions about this case. Once I have determined that you are not our killer, you will be free to go. I'll start with the younger ones then. You there, come on up. The sooner we start, the sooner we'll be finished."

* * *

Two hours later, Ryuzaki sat in his seat again, his head cradled in his knees. "This is disappointing." He had interrogated all of the suspects and had come up with nothing. Even his most intricate mind traps, when necessary, had been defeated. This was almost like a repeat performance of the Kira Investigation.

"Ryuzaki," Light inquired. "We've already interrogated twenty people, plus that Koga guy, whom I still don't think that guy was human, and we still haven't gotten anywhere with this."

"Please don't remind me, Light," Ryuzaki picked up a pumpkin pasty and ate it. "I haven't had this much trouble solving a case in some time. I'm starting to wonder if this case can be solved. Given we're dealing with magic here, it's quite likely that the killer was counting on the fact that this is a magic school to blend in. Hide in plain sight. If that is indeed the case, then this may turn out to be a wild goose chase. We may end up having to question the entire student body as well as all staff and guests, and that doesn't sit well with me."

"All right, I hear what you're saying, Ryuzaki," he put his hand to his temple. "But I think we're missing something here. If this is magic, then isn't it feasible that perhaps this is not a case of deadly force, but something simpler than that. I mean, what if someone turned themselves into something, or someone, else and committed the murder without lethal magic?"

When Light looked at Ryuzaki, he found Ryuzaki staring at him wide–eyed – or at least more wide–eyed than usual. "Light, you may have just given me the hint we've been looking for this whole time."

* * *

Ladies and gentlemen, Light has done it again! Just like that, the case goes from unsolvable to solvable. It seems even in death, Kagome is still making friends, much like another anime character we all know and love! And what of this new development with King Kai friend? Just who is this "Shige" friend of his? **Let's see if you can guess right!**


	54. Chapter 41: We are Justice!

I'm actually, surprised at my own rate of writing. I was actually able to crank this rather short chapter out in just a few hours. I'm going to keep producing short, but key, chapters like this until this fic's hit count is as it should be, because right now, I'm a thousand hits behind my target hit count for the end of the month. Now then _…_

* * *

We Are Justice!

Ryuzaki, and thus, Light, spent the next two hours sitting in Professor McGonagall's office, asking her numerous questions about magical means of changing one's appearance. When he had made this sudden request, she had been a little skeptical of his interest, but after a few minutes, she saw that he had a truly inquiring mind and he was able to catch onto the principles of Transfiguration, which she had taught for decades before succeeding the previous Headmaster, surprisingly quickly.

When he had heard enough, he thanked her for her help. "Your help is much appreciated, and it may just lead to the solving of this case," he bit his thumbnail as he spoke.

McGonagall seemed a little disturbed by his lack of tidiness, but she relented from making any comments as the two youths left her study.

* * *

"Ryuzaki, the day is almost over," Light stretched as they walked down the hall. "What now? Do we turn in?"

"Yes, but before we do, there is someone I must speak with."

"Who?"

"This 'InuYasha' person that monk and that woman spoke of. From what they told me, I've inferred the two were lovers, and due to that, with Ms. Kagome's death, InuYasha has been flung into a state of extreme emotional distress and has isolated himself somewhere in this castle. The question is, 'where'."

"So how do you expect to find him?" Light ventured as they reached a stairwell.

"I think Koga can help us."

"Wha? How?"

"When he was helping us track down suspects, he seemed to be relying on his nose, like a dog or something. While I believe it was for show, I can't help thinking that maybe it wasn't."

"So you're saying –"

"If there is anyone who can help us find InuYasha, it is probably him."

"Okay, so where to you think we'll find – WHOA!" Light screamed as his foot fell right through one of the steps they were climbing, causing him to fall forward in almost a split position, pulling Ryuzaki down with him. "Ow, that didn't tickle! What's up with these stairs?"

"I'm not sure," Ryuzaki slowly picked himself up, pulling Light to his feet and helping him dislodge his foot as the staircase started to shake. "Apparently, not only do these stairs play tricks on people, they like to swing around and change direction. Very interesting."

"Excuse me?"

The two turned to find a diminutive boy with a ribbon in his hair waiting for them at the bottom of the staircase.

"Did you guys say you were looking for Koga?" the boy asked.

"Uh, yeah," Light answered him. "Tell me, who are you?"

"My name is Shippo. Tell me the truth … can you really figure out who killed Kagome?" the boy had tears in his eyes as he looked up at them and asked this question.

Ryuzaki knelt down and patted his head. "Yes, we will definitely find whoever is responsible, and he or she will be brought to justice."

"How?" Shippo asked, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Just let us worry about that," Light tried to console him. "Everything will be fine. Now, can you please help us find this Koga guy."

"I don't know," Shippo's tail twitched. "Koga always sleeps out in the forest at night, but it's really dangerous out there. If this can't wait, I think I know where InuYasha is."

"Then can you take us to him?" Ryuzaki put his hands on his shoulders. "Please?"

Shippo nodded. "Okay, but don't expect him to be very pleasant. He's not in a good state right now." He turned around and beckoned them to follow. "He's probably down in the dungeons, where he can't hurt anybody."

_Hurt__ anybody?_ Light thought curiously as he followed Shippo down several more flights of stairs. "Uh, by the way, Shippo?"

"Yeah?"

"Is that tail of yours real?" he tried to pick Shippo up by his tail, but Shippo slapped his hand away.

"Hands off the tail! It's real, okay? Haven't you ever seen a kitsune before?"

"Er. Kitsune?"

"Yeah, that's right," he leaped into the air. "As in a shape–changing fox!" There was a great puff of smoke and the tiny fox child they were talking to turned into a giant pink balloon–thing with tiny appendages, bulging eyes and a tiny mouth.

Light and Ryuzaki could not believe what they had just seen. Ryuzaki looked like he was ready to jump out of his skin, and Light was at an absolute loss for words.

"Well, what're ya waitin' for?" the balloon–Shippo asked them impatiently. "Are we going or now? Get on!" he hovered close to the ledge by their feet.

"Are – are you nuts?" Light stammered. "We can't just 'get on!' What if we fall?"

"That's the idea, idiots!" he said, as though stating the obvious. "The fastest way to the dungeons is straight down, so are you coming or not?"

Light didn't want to get on, but finally he approached Shippo. "Like we have any other choice?" He crawled onto Shippo's head as Ryuzaki recovered and joined him. "Going down?"

"You know it!" Shippo cheered as they began their rapid yet controlled decent past the seemingly endless levels and staircases.

* * *

Their trip took more time than Light and Ryuzaki had hoped – Shippo needed to take a couple of breaks to catch his breath. Demon or not, he was still really young, and Ryuzaki wasn't exactly light as a feather, and neither was Light, "in spite of his name," or so Shippo said. But at last they reached the bottom level, which was much less well–kempt than the rest of the castle, adhering to the drab and dreary stereotype of the traditional dungeon.

After making several turns down a winding hallway with only a few lit torches to light their way, they stopped outside a big metal doorway. "He should be behind this door," Shippo looked up at them. "Now are you _really_ sure about this?"

"Yes," they both said in unison, putting their hands on the door and pushing it open.

_This __case __will __take __every __ounce __of __deductive__ ability __I __have_, Light thought as the dim lights from the hallway began to illuminate the space in front of them. _But __we __will __get __the __bottom __of __this, __because__ …_

_In __order __to __catch __Kira, __I __have __to __get past __this __obstacle __first,_ Ryuzaki thought to himself as the door swung open. _But __I __will __nonetheless __complete __this __case __and __move __on, __because __there __is __no __alternative__ … __because__ …_

At that moment, the same thought passed through their minds as they faced their what was before them: _WE__ ARE __JUSTICE!_

* * *

I hope you guys at least found some amusement in this chapter. I'm trying to emulate the intense thought processes within Light and L's heads, starting now, so **please tell me if I'm getting it right** in future chapters.


	55. Chapter 42: Ace in the Hole

Light and L have hit quite a few snags in their case. This was supposed to be easy, but at this rate, it's got them trying to catch smoke. But now it's time for a breakthrough of sorts. With InuYasha entering the fray now, maybe we'll see some progress.

* * *

Hey guys. Hope you guys who got snowed on didn't suffer too bad, what with blackouts and everything. My house lost power for about a day, but it came back today and hasn't gone out again since, so I think I'll be okay. I would have had this chapter out a little sooner had it not been for the blackout preventing me from using my computer. Ah well, that's what I get for not having a generator in the house.

* * *

Ace in the Hole

"Well," Ryuzaki spoke first as he faced the ragged figure hanging before him. "What do we have here?"

Before them was a stone wall covered in slash marks, from which dangled a pair of cuffs chained to the wall, and hanging from them, ten feet up, was a man wearing red robes and no shoes. His hands were encrusted with blood – Light guess from hitting the walls as much as he must have to do this much damage.

"Who goes there?" a blood–curdling voice echoed throughout the cave. There was only one person it could have come from.

"Uh, Inu … Yasha?" Shippo whispered cautiously as he approached, but he jumped back with a yelp as InuYasha looked at him. His eyes were glowing red and he had seemed to have grown long fangs, like a monster.

"What … are you … doing here … Shippo?" he growled in a weak voice.

"EEP!" Shippo cried as he ran behind Ryuzaki's legs and peered out. "These guys … they want … to help us."

"Help? HAH!" InuYasha laughed heinously. "How can two pathetic humans help us _now_?"

Light looked paralyzed by fear of what he was looking at. If this man was not held in place by the hanging cuffs, he looked like he would tear out the throats of anyone who came close. _My__ God! __Did __the __death __of __that __girl __do _this _to __him?_

"This is sad," Ryuzaki said dryly, looking up at him from his hunched posture. "I can hardly bear to look at a man in such a sorry state."

"You think I'm in a sorry state?" InuYasha sneered. "Look at you! You look like you've never slept a day in your life! What's wrong, little man? Afraid of a little shut–eye?"

_It__'__s__ about __time__ someone __actually __spoke __up__ about __that,_ Ryuzaki thought passively. _Either __these __"__witches __and __wizards__" __are __the __most __tactful __people __alive __or __they__'__re __just __plain __stupid._

Ryuzaki didn't look insulted – in fact, he didn't even look like he cared what anyone said about him, which seemed to make InuYasha even angrier.

"Please, InuYasha, calm down!" Shippo plucked up courage. "These boys think they can figure who the one who killed Kagome was!"

At the sound of her name, the man's head snapped up, blinking his eyes, as if trying to force the red gleam away. "What?"

"Y–yes," Light stepped forward. "We believe the murderer is still in this castle, but our investigation has reached a standstill. We think you may hold that last bit of evidence and testimony that will close this case and reveal the killer's identity."

InuYasha was breathing hard, as if trying to keep himself composed. "You're sure about this … right?"

"Yes," Ryuzaki walked forward. "If you allow us to get you down from there, will you tell us what happened in the days leading up to your friend's death?"

"If I let you take me down, you have to promise me that when you catch that son of a bitch, you'll let me do what I will with the bastard. I'll tell you boys this: I've seen my share of massacres, but this is the first time one has gotten to me like this. I'll tell you what you want to know, but you have to promise me we'll nail this schmuck to the wall."

Light was about to deny his claim when InuYasha spoke again. "He took everything away from me, and when I find out who he is, I'm going to do the same to him!"

"We'll see," Ryuzaki told him. "First, we need to take him or her into custody – then we can decide on the punishment."

"Rrg. Fine," InuYasha reluctantly agreed.

* * *

Even with Shippo's help, it took some time to get InuYasha back on the ground. As gently as they could, Light and Ryuzaki lowered him to a seated position on the ground, while being as cautious as possible, so as not to provoke InuYasha into hurting them. As he looked at the young man, Light noticed InuYasha's ears, like a dog's. He tried to reach for them to see of they were real, but Ryuzaki grabbed his hand and shook his head. "Not a good idea," was what that look told him, so he backed down.

Taking initiative, Ryuzaki spoke first. "From what we have gathered from already–conducted interrogations, we can surmise that it was not a student who did this. Their psyche's did not show significant capacity for murder. While that does not necessarily mean that they have not committed murder, it suggests that they lacked the required desires and tendencies to kill or cause serious harm to an innocent such as your friend."

"In order words," Light said, taking over. "The odds are rather high that it was one of the older folks that had a hand in the death of Miss Kagome. In fact, some of them actually looked on her with admiration, which almost never leads to a crime like this."

"Heh. I should have guessed," InuYasha laughed in spite of himself. "None of those brats could have possibly tried to do anything like this."

"Right," Ryuzaki confirmed his suspicions. "From what the other suspects told us about their previous experiences when they were in school here, especially Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, the older people, the former students definitely possess the potential to kill. While some may exhibit a stronger likelihood of committing homicide than others, it is entirely possible that one of them is our man."

"'Our man'?" InuYasha echoed. "So what you're saying is that the bastard is a man, not a woman?"

"I am more than 70 percent sure of this fact," Ryuzaki sat down on the ground and put his hands on his knees. "No, closer to 80 percent."

"Are you saying, Ryuzaki?" Light interrupted him. "Are you saying there is more to this death than a simple murder?"

"Yes," Ryuzaki said slowly, looking into InuYasha's eyes, which in turn, glared into his. "A random murder has a less–than–one–percent likelihood in this case. I think that whoever killed your friend had a grudge against her, or perhaps, you."

"So you're saying?" InuYasha looked up angrily. "That someone killed Kagome just to get to _me_?"

"Relax!" Ryuzaki held his hand out to stop InuYasha from getting up, showing a trace of emotion for the first time since InuYasha or Shippo had met him. "There is probably only a 20 percent chance of that, although _if_ it is true, then it would answer a few questions."

"Questions?" Light and Shippo asked at the same time.

"For one, motive," he noted. "Some of the most depraved murderers kill those close to those they hate, in order to break them or make their lives a living Hell, or something alone those lines – basically, to make their hated ones suffer.

"But now a new question comes up: Why? What happened between the day of their arrival at the school and the day of the death? Something must have occurred that would make them hate you, Mr. InuYasha, with such a passion that they would kill the one you love to get to you, in order to make you suffer."

"They've certainly done that," Shippo said under his breath.

"What was that?" InuYasha spat at him.

"Oh!" Shippo recoiled. "I forgot he could hear me with those ears."

_So __they __are __real. __Weird_, Light thought. _I __guess __he__'__s __a__ demon too, __like __Shippo.__ It __would __explain __more __than __a __few __things._

"Anyway, there's not much we can do now. Let us reconvene in Professor McGonagall's office tomorrow morning," Ryuzaki decided, standing up. "This is something she needs to hear, but for now, let's turn in for the night."

* * *

"PREPOSTEROUS!" McGonagall exclaimed for the third time after hearing Ryuzaki's conclusions. "One of our graduates could never … WOULD never kill some one as innocent as Ms. Higurashi!"

As she spoke those last words, Ryuzaki's eyes opened a little wider, but no one seemed to notice. _Higurashi?__ Could __it __be __THAT__ Higurashi?_

"Well, excuse me, but didn't one of Hogwarts' graduates turn out to become one of the most dangerous murderers in the 'Wizarding World'?"

McGonagall could only stammer in response. It _was_ true, Lord Voldemort was a Hogwarts graduate, but it is also true that he had been a special case. When she had finally calmed down, she look at Ryuzaki. "You're really sure about this?"

"It would seem the most feasible conclusion," Light told her. "But there is a little problem: those we believe to have been capable to have done the deed have already been interrogated, but none revealed much, despite our questioning. The question is: how do we get the truth out of them?

"Professor?" Light asked her after a brief pause. "Is there a system of magical truth concealment? A way for someone to hide facts from even the most penetrating form of questioning?"

"There is," she told him curtly. "It's called Occlumency, a way to seal off one's thoughts from magical thought interpretation."

"You mean, 'mind reading'?" Ryuzaki interpreted her words. "No such thing."

"It seems we agree on something," she eyed him. "However, you see, Mr. Ryuzaki, some wizards, who have mastered Legilimency to such as degree –"

"And what's that, ma'am?" Light interrupted.

"Didn't your teachers teach you not to interrupt a teacher when she's speaking?" she reprimanded him.

"I'm sorry," he bowed. "Please continue."

McGonagall let out a sigh and resumed her miniature lecture. "Legilimency is the power to penetrate and invade a victim's mind and extract feelings and memories in order to break them from within, quite literally."

"So what you're saying is," Light took a shot at interpreting her words. "There _is_ a way to 'read someone's mind'? Granted they've mastered this Legilimency to such a degree?"

"Read it, control it, unhinge it," she looked at him through her penetrating gaze, making him shiver. "However, if one is an accomplished Occlumens, one can shield one's mind from prying eyes, so to speak."

Then Ryuzaki, who had been silent for some time, spoke up. "But what if we had a true mind reading device? One that could not fail to pick up on one's innermost thoughts?"

"There is no such 'device'?" she told him decidedly. "And even if there was, there isn't one available to us."

As she spoke these words, the doors of her study opened, and in walked the elderly gentleman who had accompanied the two men on their trip.

"Watari," Ryuzaki greeted him with a nod. "I hope you're feeling better?"

"Much better, thank you, Ryuzaki," Watari returned his greeting. "Greetings, Professor," he removed his hat, revealing a receding hairline. "It's a pleasure to finally meet the Headmistress of such a fine school."

McGonagall returned his kind gaze with a smile.

Ryuzaki hopped off his chair, slipped his shoes back on and headed out of the room pulling Light behind him. "Watari, please fetch Professor Springfield and Mr. InuYasha for us, and ask them to meet us in Professor Springfield's office. I think one of his students holds the last key to this case."

"What do you mean, Ryuzaki?" Light inquired. "I thought you said InuYasha held the key."

"Yes, but I think two keys are needed to open this lock, Light. First we need to find the killer, and then we need to get the answers we need, whether he wants to give them to us or not.

"Light, we need an ace in the hole – we need …"

* * *

"Me?" Nodoka said in surprise when Light and Ryuzaki appeared before her in the Great Hall.

"Yes," Ryuzaki said to her in his emotionless tone. "We believe –"

But when he saw Nodoka looking at Ryuzaki distrustfully, Light patted Ryuzaki's shoulder and stepped in. "Let me talk to her, Ryuzaki. After what happened yesterday, we need to approach this delicately."

He walked over and sat down beside Nodoka, facing her friends. "Sorry, but would it be alright if we had a moment of your friend's time alone?" The two girls, one with long green hair and the other with even longer blue hair, agreed and left them alone. "Thank you," he thanked them politely, turning to Nodoka. "Listen, Nodoka, was it?" When she nodded, he continued. "I know yesterday didn't really start off very good for you and us, but we seem to be at an impasse at which we much request your skills."

He gave her a moment to absorb his words before he kept going. "When we met yesterday, you somehow figured out we were using aliases, despite not having extended conversations with us, and more so, you learned our real names instantly. Would it be overestimating to think you can discern other information as well?"

"No, it wouldn't," she answered him, a little cautiously, as though she were aware of Light's smooth talking. "If you're asking about my artifact," she held up her pactio card. "It can do more than uncover one's true name. It reveals their innermost feelings."

"Please, correct me if I'm mistaken, but does that mean this card can read people's minds?" he pressed gently.

"Shh. Don't let Professor McGonagall hear you say that!" she shushed him, bringing a chuckle to Light.

"Yes, she wouldn't want to realize that everything they thought about mind eating was inaccurate," he laughed. This time, she giggled, too.

As Ryuzaki watched this, he put a long forefinger to his lips in interest. _Light__ …_

"Nodoka, will you help us? If you join us, we can find Ms. Higurashi's killer before sunset! Please say you'll assist us with your powers!"

Nodoka looked hesitant until she felt a firm hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Negi standing by her side. He must have overheard Light's monologue, and had come to lend his hand in moral support. With renewed confidence, she faced Light and Ryuzaki and nodded. "Yes, I will."

"Excellent," Light smiled, turning around. "Ryuzaki, let's get to work."

Ryuzaki couldn't help but smile. Things were looking up for them, and this case was looking to be solved in little to no time at all.

* * *

Does L know something about Kagome's family that he's not letting on about? If so, does that mean he knows about her late father? And HOW does he know of him? Who knows, but maybe we'll find out soon. First, those two need to get back on a certain someone's trail before he gets too far away.

And how does L plan on using Nodoka's powers to find the killer? If we ARE dealing with an experienced Occlumens, then can her artifact, the mind–reading Diarium Ejus, track his thoughts, or will he be able to deceive what no one to this day has been able to deceive?

And just where have the Elric Brothers been? How long has it been since they actually appeared? Are they shirking their responsibilities as the Transfiguration teachers?

Join us next time to find out the answers to these questions and more!

Have a Happy Halloween, and be safe out there! Halloween is a serial killer's favorite holiday. LOL


	56. Chapter 43

HAPPY FRICKIN' ANNIVERSARY TO ME AND MY FIRST FIC EVER! I can hardly believe it has already been two years, but it has.

Sorry, I haven't been updating as frequently as I would like, but recently, one of my external hard drives had a little accident, and a great deal of the anime and movies I had downloaded onto that drive were corrupted and had to be deleted. I managed to salvage the majority of it, but I've been really troubled by this and it will take a good deal of time to restore everything I lost. An unwanted distraction, but I'm afraid it's a necessary one. Once I get my replacement from Seagate (Thank God for the 2 year warranty), I'll be able to get back into the swing of things.

I know the story is going very slowly at the moment, but I'm going to try very hard to pick up the pace in the coming chapters, now that I'm about to make a rather controversial (in my own opinion, at least) move.

* * *

Negi's Decision, The Final Interrogation

"I want you all to take a moment to consider the situation," Negi said from his podium in the Great Hall, the teachers all sitting behind him at the Head Table. He was delivering an address to the students of Hogwarts about the current state of affairs. "A murder was committed right here in Hogwarts, long believed to be impregnable by those who follow the ways of the dark. There is no telling if it may or may not happen again. As one of the Heads of House, and a proud Magister Magorum, I have spoken to the other teachers, and we have agreed that you students should be sent home. Our enemies are ruthless killers and will not hesitate to kill anyone who gets in their way. If anyone is afraid of the coming war and wishes to leave, for the sake of your own safety, then the Hogwarts Express is waiting at the station to take you all home. Mr. Filch is waiting outside to escort everyone who chooses to leave to the station. This is my last warning: if you are not prepared to lay down your lives to protect the world in which we live, go now, or prepare to face mortal danger and feel fear like you've never felt it before."

There was a wave of talk among the large student body for a considerable amount of time, and then, very slowly, as if ashamed of their decisions, many students began to stand and leave the Hall, most likely to return to their dormitories to pack their belongings. When most of the decisive students had made their exits, Negi looked out at the dwindled crowd and smiled. About 10% of the original count was still there, and all of the alumni had decided to stay. Negi, for one, was very pleased. _They've survived one war, so they will help to inspire the remaining soldiers–to–be. Especially …_ he threw a glance Harry's way. "Those who have decided to stay will be receiving special training from me. I PROMISE TO TEACH YOU EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT MAGIC! By the time this war begins, you will all become strong beyond your wildest dreams!" As the remaining students clamored their assorted opinions to Negi's claim, he turned to face the teachers, who eyed him with either approval or skepticism. "You, as well," he told them. "Everyone here, is now to be considered a student, ourselves included."

"Well said, my dear Professor Springfield," Ayaka silently applauded as she patted him on the shoulder. "Still, are you sure this is a good idea? We could be losing a major asset."

"True, but if they are not fully committed, they will not be able to survive the training, thus only holding the willful ones back. And besides," he turned his back to them. "I couldn't bare it if someone lost their lives because of a decision I've made. I would rather scare them away and have them hate me than to lose them in the ultimate sense."

"Professor!"

Negi turned his head to find Harry and his friends approaching him. "We want to help you!" Harry came forward. "This is _our_ world! We can't just let someone we've never known take control of the fight."

"You misunderstand me, Mr. Potter," Negi smiled. "I had every intention of keeping you and your friends in a position of influence." But when he saw their confused expressions, he sighed. "The first step is to help teach these students the finest defensive spells your world has to offer, then I'll teach them what mine has to offer. Mr. Potter, we must revive Dumbledore's Army!"

"Well said, boy!"

Everyone looked to the rear of the Hall, where they saw a small group of red–haired people gather. "Mum? Dad? Everyone!" Ron exclaimed, walking over to his family.

Negi smiled. "Things are about to get interesting."

* * *

"Well, there goes another one," Light groaned as their tenth suspect left the office.

"Will you please stop that groaning, Light. It's quite annoying," Ryuzaki groaned back in return.

"How about you both stop groaning?" Nodoka scolded them both like a couple of children. "Honestly, Ryuzaki, you may be the world's premiere detective, but your personality leaves much to be desired. Now if you both are done sulking, we can get to the last pair. Beside, it's getting late." Thanks to Nodoka's power over her artifact, they had been interviewing pair after pair of suspects, with Ryuzaki and Light reading their answers and reactions, and Nodoka's diaries reading their minds, but still no results had been yielded.

"Well, Ryuzaki," Light sulked. "You're the one who said she was our ace in the hole."

"It's not _my_ fault we haven't found the killer, Light."

"Well, it's certainly not mine!" Nodoka retorted from her seat beside Ryuzaki.

"Will you all SHUT UP ABOUT FAULT?" InuYasha roared from the corner. He had been bound with handcuffs, provided by Watari and fortified with Negi's magic, to prevent him from going insane when they finally got a clue as to who the culprit was. "Can we just finish and get me out of these things? They're not exactly comfortable, here!"

"All right," Nodoka got up and walked to the door to call up the last two suspects. "Draco Malfoy and Gregory Goyle? We're ready for you."

"Well, Light, look at it this way," Ryuzaki turned to look at his friend. "If the others passed, then the odds are astronomical that these last two will be our guys."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, our guys," InuYasha said impatiently. "Now can we please GET THE HELL ON WITH IT?"

Nodoka let out a sigh and waved her crescent–moon–headed wand to inflict an unincanted Silencing Charm on the enraged half–demon.

"This is a big waste of my time," they heard as the blonde Malfoy and ape–like Goyle swung the door open and sat down in front of Ryuzaki and Light's desk. "We all know that mudblood's death was an accident." At these words, InuYasha tried to scream all the swear words he knew at them, but he could not overpower the spell, so he gave up and clenched his teeth, baring his fangs to the point that his gums began to bleed and struggling even harder with his bindings.

"Judging by Mr. InuYasha's reaction, I'd estimate that word, 'mudblood,' is an insult of a very high caliber in this 'magical' world of yours. For now, we'll let it slide. Miss Miyazaki?"

Nodoka nodded and closed her eyes, holding up a card with her picture printed on it. "_Diaria Ejus Dupla! Adeant! Tumocogitaiones Vestigent de Draco Malfoy, Gregory Goyle_._"_ The card instantly became two glittering books that hung low over the table in front of Ryuzaki and Light.

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of that," Light said excitedly. _I'm starting to like magic._

"Very well, then," Ryuzaki sat down and gazed at the two subjects before him from behind his knees. "Let's begin, shall we?"

* * *

"WHAT?" multiple voices cried at once.

"You're sending us away?"

You can't do this, Professor!"

"I'm afraid I can, and I am," Negi said sullenly as he gazed at Makie, Yuna, Ako and Akira. They were standing in the lobby of the newly renamed Elric Motel. "I'm sending you back to Japan, as soon as Ryuzaki and Light finish their business here, so … you'd better say your good–." He turned to walk leave. _This is for your own safety._

"Professor!"

Negi turn around just in time for Akira's hand to find his cheek.

CRACK!

As Negi reeled from the shock of his student's act, he put his hand to his cheek. Akira's head was down and arms were at her sides, and they were trembling violently, as though she were burning with anger. She looked up to meet his eyes, hers full of tears, making Negi feel even worse about his decision. He didn't need his pactio or mind–reading powers to read her thoughts. _"If you don't trust us to stick around and support you, then why did you make pactios with us for?"_

Without a word, Akira turned and walked away, her friends trailing her, their faces displaying mixed expressions and feelings.

When they had gone, Negi heard footsteps coming toward him. Turning, he saw Chisame by the entrance. "Chisame …"

"You sure about this?" she crossed her arms over her chest. "Doing the right thing can also be the wrong thing, you realize."

"I don't care," Negi said, rubbing his cheek, which was still glowing red from the five–finger sandwich he'd just received. "Even if they hate me now, I'm doing this to protect them. The enemies are murderers, Chisame. They simply do not have the experience you and the rest of Ala Alba have. Can you understand my intentions?"

"Does it really matter if I do or I don't?" she turned to walk away. "I just hope _you_ understand the consequences of your own actions. Remember, Negi …" He could barely hear her next words over the pounding of his own heavy heart.

All Negi could do was look down at his feet, struggling with his own emotions. As always, Chisame's words hit much harder than a slap to the face.

* * *

Spell Translations:

_Diaria Ejus Dupla! Adeant! Tumocogitaiones Vestigent de_ ... - "Picture Diary of ID, double volumes, come forth! Follow the thoughts of ..."

* * *

The next chapter will almost entirely encompass the interrogation of Malfoy and Goyle, so it will take some time for me to accomplish it, especially with this hard drive problem holding me down.

**Please** **review! And please keep those hits coming! The last time I pulled 1,000 hits / month was several months ago.**


	57. URGENT MESSAGE!

**This is an urgent message to all my loyal readers!**

**As most of you are probably aware, the US government is due to vote on the PIPA and SOPA bills soon. These bills will allow the government to personally regulate the Internet and its content to an unprecedented extent. Countless sites could be taken down indiscriminately, jobs will be compromised, the economy may suffer further, and the 2nd Amendment rights of people all over the world will be virtually null and void.**

**In addition to this, this fine site, Fan Fiction, just might be targeted as well by the government. That would be equivalent to taking away our literacy, our ability to read and write as we choose.**

**DON'T LET WHAT HAPPENED TO MEGAUPLOAD AND ALL ITS NON-INFRINGING USERS BE REPEATED!  
**

**THIS MUST NOT COME TO PASS, OR EVERYONE WILL REGRET IT LATER!**

**I URGE EVERYONE WHO READS THIS MESSAGE TO REACH OUT TO THEIR STATE REPRESENTATIVE(S) IN CONGRESS HOWEVER YOU CAN AND VOICE YOUR OPINIONS TO THEM!**

**DON'T LET SOPA OR PIPA PASS, OR AMERICA WILL BECOME THE WORLD'S MOST HATED COUNTRY, AND I DON'T JUST MEAN OTHER COUNTRIES WILL HATE US - WE WILL HATE US FOR ALLOWING IT!**

**Don't believe me? You have been warned!**

******This also stands for folks in other countries, such as Europe, whose EU Parliament is discussing ACTA. Don't let the freedoms of the Internet be a thing of the past!**


	58. Chapter 44: Interrogation Z

I haven't been keeping track of how long it's been since my last update, but thank you for not jumping down my through all the same.

I've got a whole new slew of ideas in store for this fic, and the latest - the title for this chapter - is only a week old. That's right - until one week ago, this chapter was headed in a completely different direction, and I'm glad I changed it.

Let's see if you guys can predict the newest addition to my fic! Of course, by the end of the chapter, I'm betting the smart ones will have it figured out.

* * *

Interrogation Z

"Well, Misters Malfoy and Goyle, do you know why you're sitting here before us again?" Ryuzaki broke the silence of the stare down his guests were giving him, returning it with his own from just above his knees.

"You … you think we killed the girl, right?" Goyle stammered, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead. The gaze the young man was giving his was making him nervous. His interrogator seemed more like a predator looking at a big piece of meat, biding its time before sinking its fangs into its meal. In fact, he felt he should fear him far more than the dog-man chained to the wall to keep him from ripping into him and Malfoy.

"WRONG!" yelled Light, banging on the table they were sitting at with his palm. "Because we _know_ you killed her." Light leaned in close and spoke deadly silent.

Ryuzaki sighed silently. _The old "good cop, bad cop" approach, eh, Light? Never considered myself much of a good cop, but the bad cop role suits him well_. _He _is_ a good actor._ He thought as he watched his partner pace around their suspects' table, the chain from the handcuffs rattling as he walked. Since he was still seated in his chair, the chain occasionally tugged at his wrist, but he didn't take any notice of it.

"To clarify on Light's words, we have inferred that the deceased, Kagome Higurashi, was killed by more than just an accident, and there are very few people in this castle right now who could possess the intestinal fortitude to commit a homicide. In addition, when we questioned your former classmates earlier, they were kind enough to give us a little insight regarding your reputations from when you were in school here."

_Potter's going to pay_, was all that could go through Malfoy's mind. But as it did, the eyes of the young Japanese girl handling the two floating books widened slightly. He didn't know what was in those books, but he was sure he didn't like it. He knew he would have to pull out all the stops with his Occlumency skills. Taking a deep breath, he clenched his fists that were handcuffed together behind his back, relaxed and focused his mind to shut out any thoughts that could yield incriminating evidence.

"Moreover," Ryuzaki twiddled his toes under the desk. "I happen to know your school records inside-out thanks to your former teachers, as well as your family backgrounds. Of course, we will not hold the latter against you. I do not necessarily believe in the 'like father like son,' bit. However, none of the people we've spoken to have committed such an act in their lives, nor do they seem to possess unconscious desires to kill."

"So you know what that means, I hope," Light hissed as he circled Malfoy and Goyle like a vulture eyeing a corpse ripe for the picking. "We're certain you boys killed the girl, but someone has been lying to us up until now." He put his hand on the back of Malfoy's chair and got right in his face, his own face showing a great deal of frustration. "Well, you're not leaving those chairs until we know the facts. We can do it the hard way, or we can do it _our_ way."

"What's your way?" Malfoy nearly spat in Light's face.

To Ryuzaki, Light looked like he was ready to punch someone. _He's getting into this_.

"You boys think you're sooooo smart, trying to keep your minds blank to stop Ryuzaki from figuring you out? Well, we know one thing: among you two, is a weak link. Guess who it is."

"Light, easy now," Ryuzaki said calmly. "Don't make me put you on a leash," he cracked a smile.

"I'm choosing to ignore that comment, Ryuzaki. Now, can we just get this done? If you've got a better idea, then let's hear it!"

"_He's_ gonna ignore that?" InuYasha whispered from his place on the floor, his golden eyes flashing.

"First, take a seat, Light," Ryuzaki patted the seat beside him. "I have a few things I'd like to know. First, Nodoka?" Without turning his head, he threw a glance at the girl sitting off to the side. "Would you please hand me Mr. Goyle's book?"

Nodoka didn't look willing to give him something only she had ever used, but she reluctantly sent it floating over to him where it opened in front of his face, nearly blocking the entire view of his face. He put his hands up and pulled it down with his thumbs and index fingers so he could see over it. "Thank you."

"Uh, excuse me."

Everyone looked up to see Negi peer in the door. "I'm trying to teach a class, so please try and keep the noise level down, Mr. Yagami."

"Oh, sorry," Light started. "I didn't know." Negi nodded and closed the door. In the ensuing silence, Light heard Negi apologizing to an unseen pack of faint, bodiless voices. Blushing slightly, he walked back toward Ryuzaki.

"Now then, can you two gentlemen tell me about the events of September 1st? Specifically what happened that afternoon and evening?" Ryuzaki gazed at them as his eyes scanned the words already on the book's pages.

_I can't believe he's asking us as if he knows we did it._

_Okay, okay. I just need to calm down and not think about anything. Draco told me he won't get us to confess, and he won't._

_Well, at least we know we're onto something here. All we need is definitive proof._

"Mr. Malfoy," Light took the initiative, having sat down and was speaking more evenly for the moment. "Tell us, did you have a significant level of contact with the deceased?"

"I did not," Draco said with absolute certainty, not taking his eyes off the young Japanese man and his scruffy-haired partner. "I never spoke to her, and I certainly never laid a finger on her."

Light looked at Nodoka, and she nodded to indicate that what he said checked out with what she saw in the book. Biting his lip, he looked back at Draco and decided to go a different route.

"Well, have you had much contact with Mr. InuYasha, here?"

"I wish I could say I didn't," he said angrily, as if the very mention of InuYasha's name made his insides turn. "From the moment I laid eyes on him, I knew I wouldn't like him."

"Wouldn't like him, you say?" Ryuzaki interrupted. "What do you mean?"

"What do you mean, 'What do you mean'?" Draco seethed. "Look at him! Those ears, those teeth … He doesn't deserve to be here, neither did his little girlfriend –"

_Didn't deserve to be here, huh?_ "And that is for you to decide?" Light stood up, starting to look angry again.

Draco looked away. "Of course not."

"And yet, you just made a judgment as though it _was_ your place to do so," Ryuzaki put his hand on Light's arm, pulling him back down into his seat. "Now, what do you think of that?" he looked back into Goyle's book.

_This guy isn't good – he's too good! He definitely knows something. Don't let him provoke you, Draco!_

Hidden from everyone else's eyes, Ryuzaki smiled. _I was only 80% sure before we started this; now, make that 85%_.

"Well, then, Mr. Malfoy," he said, barely above a whisper. "Perhaps you could tell us about the kind of encounters you've had with Mr. InuYasha on the afternoon of September 1st. I understand you were among those who took part in his little physical education session?"

"If you could even call it that," Draco said slightly unevenly. "He basically told us to take turns punching him – something about 'testing how strong we were'."

"And did you?" Light asked him, hiding his amusement.

"Well, you could say, I have a hard time listening to those I don't like," Malfoy almost smirked.

At this moment, Nodoka turned a brilliant shade of red. Unable to stop himself, Light leaned over, peered into Draco's book, and instantly started laughing hysterically, causing Ryuzaki to look at him curiously.

When he'd finally recovered enough breath to speak, he choked, "So instead of punching him, you kicked him, is basically what you're saying?"

Malfoy himself seemed to be having trouble keeping a straight face. "Basically."

Light looked over at InuYasha and whispered, "Still intact?"

"Intact _this_, you jackass?" InuYasha flipped him off, making Light laugh again, this time, however, not nearly as hard.

"And then, he punched us back in retaliation," Draco said under his voice. "And he made us run –"

"Oh, so you've never had to run before?" InuYasha said mockingly. "'Oh, I just worked up a monster sweat. Oh, I'm never gonna forgive this guy for making me RUN!' Pathetic," he cried in high-pitched voice.

"Shut up, you son of a –" Goyle almost repeated the word the two of them spoke that very day, but when he saw InuYasha tug at his cuffs and tear a huge brick halfway out of the wall, he clammed up.

"A-HEM!" Light interrupted them abruptly. He was now looking over Nodoka's shoulder. "From what it says in this book, he did more than just make you run. You seem to have left out the part where he humiliated you and … returned the blows you gave him earlier in the session."

"Yes … I _might've_ left that part out," Draco looked away, now on edge. "For obvious reasons."

"Didn't want to relive them, I suppose," Light sighed, sitting back down. "I wouldn't either, if that had happened to me. Must've been painful."

"More than you could ever bear, pretty-boy!" Goyle snapped at him.

"Must have made you angry …" Light ignored him, instead pouring his energy into attacking them with his words. "Angry enough to want to hurt him …"

"Stop it," Draco tried to interrupt.

"Stop what?" he teased him. "Stop talking? Why ever would I do that? Because I'm right? Am I getting close to what you're probably thinking now?"

Draco's teeth were grinding behind his closed lips. "Yes," he finally hissed. "I wanted to hurt him. Badly. I wanted to make him regret humiliating me." As furious as he looked, Ryuzaki swore he saw a tear welling up in the young man's eye. "I wanted to make him suffer."

"So instead of attacking him straight on, which you knew would be a losing battle, a futile attempt, you chose to attack him a different way," Light pressed.

"What are you saying?" Draco said, almost fearfully now.

"My hypothesis is that after said incidents, you saw Mr. InuYasha and the deceased together, and chose to get to him through her, so you waited, biding your time until she was most vulnerable, in essence, when InuYasha wasn't nearby. You took the opportunity to push her down a flight of stairs, hoping to cause her serious injury, or even death, in order to punish the dog-man whom you felt was biting the hand that should have been feeding him. Now my question is, what do you think of that? Am I wrong?"

"Yes!" he said immediately. "Yes, you're wrong." Even though he said it without stammering, Draco was at wit's end – he could barely keep his speech steady. These two were too smart – they were getting so close to the truth, he could no longer keep it hidden.

"He's wrong? I don't agree," Ryuzaki glared at him, not a hint of anger or suspicion in his voice, quite contrary to what he was saying. "Your expression just gave off a hint of desperation, as if you are trying to dodge a bullet as big as a house with your legs and arms tied." He closed his eyes for about five seconds, then looked to his left. "Nodoka."

"Huh?"

"Take these books away. I don't need them anymore." He closed up the one he was looking at and held it out to the side, as if beckoning her to take it from him. "I'll get the rest out through words alone."

"Uh, okay," she took the book from his hand and with a single word, made them both disappear.

"This is a game …" Everyone's gaze went to Goyle.

"What?" Ryuzaki looked at him. "What did you say?"

"THIS IS JUST A GAME TO YOU ISN'T IT?" he yelled at the top of his voice. "You think you can just make us say what you want us to by making up crazy stories and drilling into us with your words? Huh? We didn't kill that girl, but I'm starting to wish that we had! That little bitch …"

At that moment, InuYasha's body began to pulsate and his hair started to stick slightly. "What?"

"Stop it," Nodoka whispered, a tear starting to form in her eye. "Don't say anything else –"

"Yeah, you heard me! If she had just died when she fell off that bridge in the first place, this –" But in that moment, Goyle's eyes sprang open as he realized what he'd just said.

"You bloody git!" Draco spat at him.

Ryuzaki's eyes were wider as anyone thought they could get. "We never mentioned anything about a bridge, Mr. Goyle. I think you're hiding something from –"

"SO IT _WAS_ YOU!" InuYasha roared savagely, now on his feet, his claws ripping at the air before him, trying to wrench the chains out of the walls. "I JUST KNEW IT! WAIT'LL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU, YOU YELLOWBELLIED LITTLE –"

SLAM!

The door of the office made a deafening noise as Negi dashed in just in time to see Nodoka turn her card into an enormous hardcover book and slam it into Goyle's face.

"You _bastard_! You _slime_! How DARE you say something like that?" she cried as she swung again and again, as if trying to knock his brain out, tears flying from her eyes with every swing. "Do you have _any_ idea how much this must have hurt Mr. InuYasha? Kagome was an innocent girl, and she meant so much to him, and you say such things about her like this? You think you know what pain is, but you're the biggest _BAKAS_ I've ever met!"

"Stop her!" Ryuzaki called to Negi. "She's getting hysterical."

Negi didn't even need to be told once – he rushed forward and grabbed her wrists, the book falling immediately to the floor. He turned her around so she was facing him. "Nodoka, calm down, please," he whispered, holding her face gently in his face, but she wouldn't calm down. It was as though all the grief over losing a friend, as unfamiliar as they had been, had come rushing to her head all at once.

Unable to control it any longer herself, Nodoka threw herself on Negi's shoulder, sobbing loudly into his green suit. All he could do was pat her head as he led her away, whispering. "Don't worry, Nodoka. It's going to be okay. No more tears, now, okay?" He closed the door quietly behind him as they left the room, leaving everyone else in stunned silence.

* * *

"Please excuse me, everyone," Negi spoke up as he walked through the door, supporting the still-emotional girl. "Would everyone please wait patiently while I take Nodoka to the hospital wing? She's had a trying day," he asked of his class, comprised mostly of 7th year students, as he walked slowly to the door, Nodoka's sobs growing more and more faint. "Now, now. It's all going to be okay. We'll get you a nice cup of tea, and then you can lie down and rest. You've done enough," they all heard him say as they walked out of the room and down the hall.

* * *

It took a few seconds of silence for the five people remaining to recover. InuYasha's rage had quelled somewhat and he lowered himself to the floor once again. He seemed somewhat satisfied for now with the pounding that had just been dished out by a girl he thought was a weakling with no guts. Regardless, he still did not take his bloodshot eyes off the two bound men sitting before him.

"Hey," he suddenly said to Ryuzaki. "Undo these bands, now."

"You know I can't do that," Ryuzaki looked at him out of the corner of his eye. "What proof do I have that you won't kill these two once you're free?"

"You don't," the demon smirked. "But spending all this time chained to something, it's made me restless. I need some fresh air."

"I don't think so," Light crossed his arms. "One minute ago, you were itching to rip the faces off of these two. We can't trust you just because you say you need your morning exercise. If you expect us to believe this, we need some insurance. Ryuzaki?"

His partner nodded and pulled up the front of his shirt, revealing his belt buckle. He put one finger to it, and clicked it twice like a button. Seconds later, his cell phone rang from his pocket. He took it out and pulled it about an inch or two from his ear. "Watari? Yes, we need your assistance. Thank you."

He put his phone back in his pocket and looked at InuYasha. "I've called up an escort to bring you back outside. He's not exactly a young man, so if you intend to get rough with him, tell me now so we can avoid any … trouble."

"Hah! Are you stupid or something?" InuYasha laughed. "I may be a demon, but do you think I'm really the kind to hit an old man?"

"Well, knowing what I do, I would say 'yes' to that," Ryuzaki said dryly.

"Rrg. You're lucky you're there ad I'm over here or I'd clobber you!" he snapped at him as the door opened and an elderly gentleman entered the room.

"Yes, Ryuzaki? What can I do for you?"

"Watari, please tranquilize Mr. IunYasha and escort him outside, maybe take him for a walk?" Light had to laugh at Ryuzaki's words.

"What did you say, you tanuki-faced prick?" InuYasha shot back at him. "You got some balls insulting _me_ like that!"

"Perhaps I should … add a muzzle as well?" Watari added, noting InuYasha's dog ears. At this, Light, Malfoy and Goyle erupted into fits of laughter.

"Tch. Just try it, ya geezer," InuYasha bore his fangs. "I won't forget that."

Over the next two minutes, Watari had removed InuYasha's cuffs and put his hands into another set of cuffs behind his back to ensure his cooperation. As they reached the door, InuYasha stopped. "Hold it."

"Is something wrong?" Watari asked him calmly.

"That sword." He was eyeing the sheathed sword propped against the wall with tattered cloth wrapped around the hilt. "Give it to me."

"Why? For what purpose would need a sword?" the old man asked him curiously.

"Just do it! That sword is the only thing that keeps _IT_ sedated!"

"Hmm, and what is 'it'?" Ryuzaki inquired suspiciously.

"Heh, just hand me that blade and you'll never have to know. And trust me, you don't want to know."

Ryuzaki put his hand to his chin for a moment and thought hard. "Watari, do as he says, but bring him with you, just to be safe."

"Of course," Watari nodded and walked InuYasha over to the corner where his sword was propped, right under a large window overlooking the front lawn of the school. InuYasha had just picked it up when a deafening noise rang through the grounds and a huge tremor rocked the entire castle.

"An earthquake?" Light stood up suddenly, but Ryuzaki immediately pulled him under the desk in front of them just as Malfoy and Goyle's chairs fell over backwards.

Watari was instantly thrown to the floor, and InuYasha was so off-balance that he wobbled frantically, but with his arms bound behind his back he couldn't keep his footing. The last shake hit with such force that he was thrown completely off his feet and straight through the window.

When the ground finally stopped shaking, Light ran to the broken window and carefully looked out trying to look down. "Ruyzaki! He fell through."

"Can you see him?" Ryuzaki stood up and followed him.

"Not like this," Light wrapped his shirt sleeve around his fist and punched the rest of the broken glass away so he could stick his head all the way out. "Ah, there he is," he pulled his head back in and looked back at his partner. "At least he landed on the grass where it's soft. He missed the long stone staircase." He stuck his head back out. "Hey! You okay down there?" he called.

"OW! Hey, ya jerk! Don't shower me with glass like that! You could really hurt somebody doing that!"

"Funny, he didn't even mention falling 50 feet out of a broken window," Light said under his breath.

"Huh, I guess these 'demons' really are built differently from us humans," Ryuzaki replied quietly. Then he noticed something. "Hm. What could that be?" he gestured out the window as Light helped Watari to his feet.

"What could what be, Ryuzaki?" Light walked over and looked out the window. There was a massive dust cloud down below, but he could faintly see something in the center. "Should I go down and investigate?"

"No, Light. You're staying right here," he rattled the chain connecting them. "Watari, please go down and undo the cuffs you put on Mr. InuYasha. Meanwhile, we'll get back to the questioning."

"Certainly, Ryuzaki," Watari bowed as he left the room.

"Ahem!" They all looked over where their suspects' chairs had fallen over. "A little help here would be nice!"

"Oh, yeah. Light, would you mind terribly?" Ryuzaki gestured at them.

"Fine," Light walked over and wrenched the chairs and the people in them off the ground and back into an upright position. "You're welcome," he said to them out the corner of his mouth as he returned to his seat, not expecting a "Thank You."

"Well, that was an unfortunate turn of events," Ryuzaki settled back into his chair, sitting in his usual position, his eyes narrowing. "However, I think we're beginning to make some progress. Light, I respectfully must ask that you leave the rest of the talking to me."

* * *

Meanwhile, many of the Hogwarts alumni were down at the Quidditch pitch playing a game while classes were in session. Though they did not have quite enough players for a real game, they were more than making do. The bludgers were flying through the air, hit back and forth by the Beaters, and the quaffle was zooming from Chaser to Chaser as they sped toward the goal posts. All the while, Harry and Ginny, husband and wife Seekers, circled the field, their eyes peeled as they searched for that oh-so-speedy Snitch.

Angelina Johnson and Kaite Bell passed the quaffle to each other back and forth in rapid succession as they raced toward Ron's goal posts, but he had his eye locked on the large red ball. When they were ten meters away, they let it go, starting from the left, but aiming for the goal on the right. Ron, however, wasn't fooled. He looped around and headbutted the ball away from the goal.

"THAT'S USING YOUR HEAD, RON!" Harry congratulated his friend with a thumbs-up.

Ron returned his friend's gesture as one of Alicia Spinnet caught the falling quaffle and started dodging Angelina and Katie as she fought her way toward the opposing goals. Suddenly, he put his pinky finger in his ear. "Hey, did anyone else hear that?" he called loudly.

"Hear what, Ron?" Harry swooped in on his left, the wind whipping his red Quidditch robes about.

"I don't know," he looked back towards the castle. "I just thought I heard someone shouting back at the castle."

"Who was it?" Harry raised an eyebrow. He was so focused on Ron, he didn't even notice the snitch coming in to hover ten feet below him.

"I'm not sure," Ron scratched his head. "I couldn't tell, but it's making me really anxious now."

"What are you boys whispering about?" Ginny pulled up beside them. "You're attracting everyone's attention.

The two friends looked around and saw everyone looking at them from where they hovered throughout the pitch.

"And by the way, Harry, you lose," she held up the struggling snitch. "You finally lost one."

"Oh well, the streak had to end eventually," Harry shook his head. "And don't worry, it's nothing. Ron just thought he heard something, that's all."

"What'd you reckon is going on with Malfoy and Goyle?" George glided over, his Beater's bat on his shoulder. "Are they getting tortured or what?"

"No, just an interrogation," Harry corrected him. "However … from what I could read from that Ryuzaki character, he seems certain that one of _us_ killed that girl, and that it wasn't an accident that killed her."

"After all," Ron commented. "You don't expect an average student to be capable of doing such a thing."

"You got that right," George clapped his brother on the back. "But I think we can safely say that if it _wasn't_ an accident, nobody on a broomstick right now is behind it."

"Definitely not," Harry agreed with him. _I just hope it _was_ an accident. I'd rather not have to oppose Malfoy again under any circumstance._

Before any of them could make another comment, a deafening BOOM split the air and something massive zoomed not so high overhead, heading straight towards the school. Several of the friends had to hold tight to their broomsticks to keep from falling off, and Ron's had started to spin wildly from the shock.

"Whoa!" Harry gasped as he tried to clear his ears, which had popped from the loud noise.

"What the bloody Hell was that?" Ron exclaimed as he brought his broom about.

"I think it looked like a giant ball or something?" George thought out loud.

"Whatever it was, I don't like it," Ginny said as another BOOM indicated the object's landing, a huge dust cloud forming just beyond the edge of the forest.

"Let's check it out!" Harry turned his Firebolt about and sped off in the direction of the area where the object landed, his friends on his tail.

* * *

"OW! That hurt," InuYasha groaned as he staggered to his feet, looking up at the window he'd just fallen from as he rubbed his tailbone. "HEY UP THERE! GET DOWN HERE AND GET THESE THINGS OFF MY HANDS!" he shouted, rattling the cuffs behind his back. Then he looked around. "Huh? What the Hell?" He squinted his eyes as he gazed into the massive dust cloud. He tried to sniff the air but all her got was dust. "ACHOO!" he almost fell over backward. "Damn. Should've known that would happen."

Finally, Watari arrived to release his hands. "I hope you're not hurt, sir."

"Hah! You think a demon like me would die from something like that? Please! Now get out of my face before I get mad," he snarled, rubbing his wrists. "That Ryu-whatever friend of yours really pissed me off back there, but I'll deal with him later.

"Right, now we've got bigger problems." As he said these words, he saw a large number of figures on brooms coming down from the sky and land by the dissipating dust cloud. Slipping the Tetsusaiga back into his belt, he began to walk forward, eager to investigate.

* * *

"What in the bloody Hell is this?" Ron exclaimed when they finally landed at the crash site.

By this time, the dust cloud had dissipated to reveal what looked like a 10-foot-tall rubber ball. It had a large, goofy-looking face printed on it, depicting a man's head wearing as well as a hand showing the peace sign right beside the face. He was wearing a silly-looking hat and was smiling in a really goofy, creepy way.

"Well, it's a ball, obviously, but why did it come flying out of the sky?" Harry wondered out loud.

"You think it's some kind of attack?" They all looked around to see the still batter-looking InuYasha headed toward them. "But what's with that stupid drawing?"

"What happened to you?" Harry asked him, walking over to lend a hand, but InuYasha just slapped it away and continued to walk toward the giant ball.

"Harry!" Everyone turned to see Hermione running out of the castle and racing towards them. "What's going out here?" she called out, but Harry held out his arm.

"Stay back, Hermione!" he warned her. "Same for the rest of you. I think I saw something." He crept closer to the ball and leaned in close to get a better look.

He was right. There were indentations briefly appearing on the surface, coming from inside. "I think there are people inside this ball!"

"Well, then let's get them out of there," George brought his wand to bear.

"No," Ginny grabbed her brother's wrist. "What if they're enemies?"

"I don't know, Ginny," Ron mentioned. "Nothing with _that_ printed on it could be an enemy attack." He pointed to the ridiculous face on the side of the huge sphere.

Now the indentations were getting deeper and more frequent, as though whoever was inside was trying to fight their way out. Harry reached out and patted the ball's surface. "Hello? Anybody in there?"

* * *

"Damn! I'm gonna kill … for that … NOT a soft landing! I think he enjoys doing this to us."

InuYasha couldn't quite make out everything, but knew he was hearing voices inside the ball. Then he saw what Harry was doing. "Uh, I wouldn't do that if I were y – huh?"

"That's it! I'm getting us out of this thing!" This time, he heard it loud and clear.

Just as he heard that, he saw a tear form in the side of the ball, and as it quickly grew, he swore he saw a flash of steel.

The ball was being cut open right over Harry Potter's head, and he didn't even notice! Not taking any chances, he dashed forward.

"Get back you four-eyed idiot!" he shoved Harry down to the ground with his left hand and drew his sword with the other just in time to stop a huge blade from coming down on his from inside the huge orb. "Grr! What the fuck?" he growled, straining against whoever or whatever was attacking him. "What is this?"

* * *

Well, you've got all the clues. Now you just need to guess what the winning anime is.

I've already started production on the next chapter, and I predict, granted I'm able to get a few other things with my life in order, it should be done by the end of the month. In the case that it isn't, please don't hold me at fault. It's been a long time since I wrote in this fic and I'm still a little rusty.

A good way to encourage work would be to **leave** **comments or send PM's**.


	59. Chapter 45: A Hollow Motive

I know I said I would have this one ready by the end of May, but I decided to take an extra week or so to extend the chapter by several pages, adding in scenes from Kagome's training, conversations between King Kai and ... certain individuals, as well as a few other things. Also, I hope you like my title choice. I thought it was funny. I also hope you will find the content believable at the very least.

**Please Read & Review!**

* * *

A Hollow Motive

As InuYasha struggled against the huge sword pushing against his own, Harry, Ron and their friends only looked on in wonder. All they could see over his shoulder was a tear opening up in the huge ball, and InuYasha's giant sword, two feet away, straining, as if to stop something from reaching him. Just what was the young red-robed man fighting with, was the question on not only their minds, but InuYasha's as well.

"Who the Hell are you?" he growled. "And what's with that sword? Come out of there already!"

Finally, the tear opened up to reveal three average-looking teenagers, one very skinny with dark blue hair, a rather top-heavy girl with long orange hair, and a very muscular, tan-skinned young man with curly brown hair. However, InuYasha saw one more: a spiky orange-haired boy dressed in a black and white outfit, not very much unlike InuYasha's red fire rat-robe, and he was holding a massive sword that matched the Tetsusaiga in size.

"Feh! So you're the reckless bastard," InuYasha spat. "You mind backing off? You almost beheaded one of these guys behind me!" He gestured with his head towards Harry, who was still sprawled on the ground and his friends, who had gathered around him and had their wands leveled at the newcomers.

"Huh?" the youth looked down at the young man, realizing his mistake. He lifted his sword and rested it on his shoulder. "Oh, sorry about that? Were you guys on the other side? I didn't know. Is anyone hurt?"

But even as he spoke to them the young wizards and witches only looked around, looking for whoever or whatever InuYasha was talking to.

"Who are you talking to, Inu … uhhh?" one of them, a tall man with red hair started to ask.

"It's InuYasha, damn it! Get it straight. It's not that hard to remember!" the demon returned the immense sword in his hand to its sheathe, to everyone's surprise at how such a huge sword could be contained by an ordinary scabbard. "And can't you see? Or are your eyes failing? You can't see this carrot-topped kid with that big chunk of steel?"

"'Carrot top'?" the boy echoed, offended. Then he heard something behind him. "Hey, what are you laughing at, Orihime?" he yelled over his shoulder.

"Sorry, Ichigo. I couldn't help it," the girl giggled, trying to cover her mouth.

The orange–haired young man turned around, putting his hand to his head. When he lowered it, he nodded. "Right, I'm guessing you're the only one who can see me. Inu … Yasha, was it? Heh, interesting name."

"Hah, that's the first time anyone's ever said that about me," he scoffed. "And what do you mean, 'I'm the only one who can see you'? You mean they _can't_?"

"Apparently so," the boy said. "Once I get back in my body, they'll be able to see me, too, and I'll explain."

"'Back in your body'?" InuYasha thought out loud, putting a clawed hand on the boy's chest. "You seem pretty solid to me."

"Uh, yeah," he rubbed the back of his head. "I'll explain that, too. Chad, would you mind?" The muscular teen brought forth a lifeless body, dressed in modern–day clothing, that looked exactly like this boy standing in front of InuYasha, who looked thoroughly perplexed.

"Two of you?"

"Not quite," the boy said, somehow inserting himself into the prone body, which came to life before everyone's eyes. "This is my real body – it was my spiritual body you were just talking to. Only those with a certain amount of spirit energy can see … people like me."

"'People like _you_'?"

"I'll explain that, too," he smiled. "Anyway, my name is Ichigo Kurosaki, and these are my friends."

"I am Uryu Ishida," the skinny one said calmly as he adjusted his glasses. "Nice to meet you."

"My name is Orihime Inoue. Hi!" the girl smiled warmly.

"Sado Yasutora," the tall muscular boy nodded in greeting.

Harry and his friends were about to come forward when InuYasha thrust his hand out again, sniffing the air intently. "Heh. Looks like you guys stirred up a little attention when you got here."

"Huh?" Ichigo started. "What do you mean?"

"I _mean_, you've … been … followed!" he looked up, smirking.

* * *

"Ohhh," King Kai groaned. "Oh dear! This is not good!"

Kagome, who was running by, stopped and turned at these words. "Hold on, Bubbles!" she called to the monkey, who stopped running and looked back.

"What's wrong, King Kai?" she jogged over to her master, panting slightly.

"A dark force has appeared at Hogwarts," he muttered in restrained panic. " A force I haven't felt in months."

Kagome blinked in shock. "What kind of dark force?" she said in concern, but King Kai was barely listening.

_Damn! Why there of all places?  
_

"King Kai! What is it?" she stepped in front of him to, look in his eyes.

"It's … it's …"

* * *

"A Menos Grande?" Ichigo stammered as he drew back several feet. "But why here?"

"A _what_? That black giant is a what?" InuYasha glared from the monster emerging from a tear in the sky to Ichigo and back again.

"It would take too long," Ichigo said through clenched teeth, reaching into his pocket. "Suffice to say, it's a giant monster that feeds off of human souls."

"What did you say?" Harry shouted as the immense creature ripped its way out of the tear in the sky and stepped onto the ground, causing it to shake violently, throwing the red-robed sorcerers to their knees. "This castle is filled with ghosts, and you're saying whatever just made that footprint _feeds_ on them?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying…" Ichigo said over his shoulder. "_If_ we give it the chance!"

"Then we'll just have to kill it right where it stands!" InuYasha shoved Ichigo aside and stepped forward, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ichigo pressed his hand against whatever was in his pocket and suddenly the black-robed Ichigo was back, having somehow separated himself from the other, modernly dressed version. "You can't just take on a Menos like that! You'll be killed!" he stepped in front of the excited youth.

"Ah, shut up," InuYasha pushed the boy out of the way. "All right. Let's show these guys what we're made of, Tetsusaiga!" At these words, he drew his sword, which instantly transformed from a rusty katana to its humongous, fang-shaped blade.

At the sight of the sword's transformation, the teens flinched.

_I knew it_, Chad thought.

_His sword definitely transformed when he called its name_, Ichigo started.

_And it stopped Ichigo's sword earlier_, Uryu had his chin in his hand, thinking.

_Is that sword … a Zanpaku-to?_ they all thought in unison.

* * *

"Harry!" Hermione ran over to help her friends to her feet, Luna and Hannah close behind. "What's going on? And what made that huge footprint?"

"Blimey!"

Everyone looked back to see Hagrid charging over to them, staring at the huge impression in the ground, Professor McGonagall not far behind.

"Anybody min' tellin' me what's tearin' up these grounds?"

"And who are these strange people?" McGonagall demanded.

"Professor," Harry wheeled around. "I'm not sure myself, but according to those guys, there's some giant monster that we, for some reason, can't see, and it intended to eat all the ghosts in the castle."

Both of them nearly lost all the color in their faces.

"An invisible monster, you're saying, Potter?" McGonagall stammered.

"Well, what do we do?" Hagrid reached for his umbrella.

"Don't bother," the huge muscular teen ran over and stepped in front of them. "Nothing you can do will stop this. Orihime."

"Yes," the young girl ran forward, her hands going to her temples. "Everybody get behind me! Santen Kesshun, I reject." At her words, three sections of her two hairpins zipped in front of them and formed a large triangular shield of orange energy."

Meanwhile, however, Ichigo and InuYasha were not making an easy time for the other, each repeatedly shouldering the other aside in an attempt to clear the front line for himself.

* * *

"Get off me! I tell ya I got this!" InuYasha snarled, bearing his fangs. "I'm standing in the front!"

"Well, _I_ tell ya if you try to fight that thing on your own, you are gonna die!" Ichigo threw back in his face. "You hear me, dog face?"

"What's that supposed to mean, you red-headed toothpick?"

"Exactly what it sounded like, you dog-eared freak!" But as they were fighting, they almost didn't notice the huge creature open its white-masked mouth wide, revealing a large glowing dark red ball of energy beginning to form.

"No, a cero!" Ichigo started, as InuYasha shoved him away from him. "No stop!" But InuYasha wasn't even listening.

He sniffed the air sharply, smirking. "Time to go on a rampage, Tetsusaiga!" he held out the blade and it instantly began to change, as though the blade was turning to diamond.

"What is that?" Ichigo cried as the dog demon swung the blade down.

"___KONGŌSŌHA_!" Hundreds and hundreds of jagged spears of pure diamond flew from the blade and struck the towering Hollow, tearing into its black hide around it's midsection, some going straight through the hole in its chest. "Heh! How'd ya like that?"

"That's not good enough!" InuYasha looked to the side and saw the skinny boy pointing toward the creature. "You need to destroy a Hollow's mask to destroy it!"

"It's mask, huh?" InuYasha looked at the thing's face, and the massive orb it was producing. To everyone's surprise, he smiled. "Okay, I know what I gotta do!"

* * *

"Hey, InuYasha is stepping up!" King Kai exclaimed, cheering up a bit. "And it looks like the Menos showed up in response to Ichigo's presence there."

"Ichigo? Who's that?" Kagome asked him, having sat down to catch her breath.

"Ichigo Kurosaki," King Kai turned to look at her. "He's a young Soul Reaper an old friend told me about."

"Soul Reaper?"

"Kind of like a Grim Reaper, except instead of sickles, they use special swords called Zanpaku-to that can purify Hollows, which are like tainted souls that have become ravenous, like the Menos. They also help lingering dead souls pass on to the afterlife."

"They send them here?" Kagome looked surprised.

"Fortunately no," he sighed. "If they did, Other World would be having problems making ends meet with so many souls running around. Those who do come here are the souls of those who pass on instantly – it's just that there are more cases of lingering souls than any other. That's why the Soul Reapers are needed more than the Kais. If that _wasn't_ the case, King Yemma would probably go insane from being overworked. Heh. Of course, we've counted on the Soul Piper, whom I believe you've encountered before, to assist the souls of children in passing on.

"Soul Reapers send the dead souls to the Soul Society, kind of a parallel of Other World. It's ruled by a Soul King and protected by Soul Reapers, kind of like we Kais run this world. I have to say, the Soul Reapers are really strong, and I mean _reeeeeeeally_ strong, but I could argue that a fair few of my boys can beat a bunch of them easy, all at the same time."

"Do you think they can beat InuYasha?"

"Well, it depends," he shrugged. "I'd say he'd give most Lieutenants a really hard time. A Captain would probably be able to beat him fairly easily if they were to get serious without giving him time enough to figure out their powers. InuYasha isn't very bright, but when it comes to battle, his instincts make him very formidable."

_He's right. There were many times when InuYasha showed considerable intelligence in our battles with Naraku and the others_. "So what about this Ichigo? You talked about him as though you know him," Kagome rested her chin in her hand, her arm propped on her knee.

"Well I recently actually heard about him from an old acquaintance of mine whom I met right before becoming a Kai myself, and when I say old, I mean _ancient_. He's probably three times my age. From what I've heard, Ichigo became a Substitute Soul Reaper some time ago when he inadvertently caused a Soul Reaper to be gravely injured during a mission that involved his family. It didn't take long for him to become swallowed up in their affairs, and now it looks like trouble has followed him home again."

"You just said InuYasha was stepping up to take on this 'Menos' thing," Kagome stood up. "Doesn't that mean it's okay?"

"Now don't jump to conclusions, Kagome! I didn't say he could win," his black glasses flashed. "The Menos is one of the strongest classes of Hollow. It's not your average demon, like you kids are used to fighting. However, IF InuYasha figures out how to combat it, he CAN win. I'm just not sure he WILL win." He turned around and his antennae twitched.

"All we can do is watch and wait," he said nervously. "I'm sure Ichigo will step in if he feels he should, but I'm just worried for the students. A lot of lives were lost the last time a Menos Grande went on a rampage on Earth." _Old Shige was beside himself the last time. I'd hate to see that happen again._

* * *

Suddenly, InuYasha's worst fear came true: the Menos Grande took its focus off of him and pointed its Cero at the castle instead!

"DAMMIT! DON'T LOOK AT THE CASTLE, YOU RETARD! LOOK AT _ME_!" InuYasha roared, but the thing didn't pay him any mind, and from the looks of things, it was about to release its blast of demonic energy.

"Damn," Ichigo turned to McGonagall. "Hey! That castle is full of people, isn't it? Hey, I'm talking to you, old woman!"

"They can't see you when you're like that, kid! We need to stop this thing on our own," InuYasha yelled, running back towards Ichigo's friends. "Hey, you! Muscles!"

"Who, me?" Chad blinked.

"Yeah, you! I want you to throw me!"

"What? _Throw_ you?"

"Yeah, throw me right into its line of fire!" he yelled as he reached him. "Well? COME ON! DO YOU WANT EVERYONE IN THAT CASTLE TO DIE?"

"What?" Harry and McGonagall turned around.

"What? Well, no of course not," he knitted his fingers, crouching down slightly. "But–"

"THE ONLY 'BUTT' IN THIS CONVERSATION IS A KICKED ONE – YOURS, IF YOU DON'T DO THIS NOW!"

"You sure about this?"

"Like we have any choice!" he put his bare, blood-encrusted foot in the boy's hands. "Now, THROW!"

Chad gave a great heave, sending the red-clad demon youth flying headfirst towards the castle walls, which was right where the Menos was aiming.

Right before he reached he wall, he flipped over and pushed off with his feet, and in doing so, sent himself careening straight towards the creature's mouth just as it released its blast. The force and pressure from the blast alone sent massive quakes through the ground and ripped up the ground more and more as it got closer and closer to the castle, or rather, InuYasha.

* * *

"What is _this_?" McGonagall roared. "What is happening? Will someone please tell me why these grounds are being destroyed by something I cannot even see?"

"Trust me, Ma'am!" Orihime bowed in apology to her. "We'll explain everything once the situation has been resolved."

"What situation?" she tried to ask, but the sound of InuYasha attack completely drowned out her voice.

* * *

"Time for my ___BAKURYŪHA_!" InuYasha swung the sword in a circular path, actually cutting into the blast of energy, splitting it upon impact. But that wasn't the end of it – the dark red blast quickly turned into whirlpools of pure energy that twisted through the air and began to attack the Menos.

InuYasha landed lightly with the Tetsusaiga on his shoulder and began walking back towards the astounded crowd. "Heh! The bigger they are …"

BOOM! came the noise as the monster collapsed onto the forest canopy, flattening many trees over a mile-long area.

"The harder they fall," he finished as the tornadoes of energy resumed their attack and tore apart the giant Hollow, mask and all. When all the dust had settled, he took a big breath in and let it out with a big sigh. "Man! That felt great. I feel like I haven't fought like that in centuries!" he stretched his arms to the sky. He was about to return the Tetsusaiga to its sheath when he remembered something.

"Oh yeah. That's right." He turned back around to look at the hole in the sky, which was slowly closing. He raised his sword once more. "I shouldn't disappoint whoever sent me that nice little warm-up! Here's one for the MASTER! _KAZE NO KIZU!_" With another swing of his sword, InuYasha sent a massive blast directly into the hole before it finally closed itself. Finally satisfied, he sheathed the sword. "Feh! That'll show 'im, whoever he is!

"That good enough for ya … huh?" he demanded of the dumbstruck onlookers.

* * *

Back in Other World, King Kai was in hysterics. "Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! 'That good enough for ya' he says! Ah ha ha ha ha!" He was on the ground, kicking and screaming. "Oh, this kid is good! That 'sit' stuff is nothing compared to that."

"Mm," Kagome giggled, remembering all the time she made InuYasha "sit". "InuYasha." But she quickly shook her head.

"I can't just stand here," she clenched her fists. "InuYasha is hanging in there for me, so I need to do the same for him! Hey, Bubbles!" she called out. As the monkey snapped to attention, the girl got down on her hands as though about to start a race. "You'd better start running, monkey, because before the day is out, that tail of yours will mine! I'll take it in return for you almost taking my lips!"

Bubbles just slapped his butt in response and broke out at a run, not intent on making it easy for her. But as soon as he was starting to gain some distance, he heard, "Yooooo hooooo!" and when he looked back, all he could see was her smiling face. "You'd better try harder than that, or else I'm have you before either of us breaks a sweat."

Now starting to panic, Bubbles started to run faster, but no matter how fast he went, he still couldn't shake the speedy girl who just a few days ago, couldn't even keep him in her sight.

As they ran and ran, King Kai could only watch with pride in his eyes. _She reminds me so much of Goku and his friends … so driven to get stronger … and all for the sake of the one she loves. It almost brings a tear to my eye._ He wiped his eye just in time to see Kagome go flying as she slipped on a banana peel, courtesy of his playful little monkey, only to see her turn the tables on Bubbles. As he watched in amazement, his student rebounded off a tree, flew through the air, performing three midair flips with two full twists right over Bubbles' head, missing his tail by only mere inches and skidding to a stop as she landed several meters away.

"Darn! Missed him," she snapped angrily. "Wow, I never knew I could do that!" she looked at her own body. _I've only watched that kind of stuff on the Olympics, wishing I could do it too, but … wow. This is all it took to learn?_ "Now that I think about it, my body feels so much lighter, as though this gravity were nothing at all! I feel amazing! Ohhhhhh yeah!" she pointed right at Bubbles, who was picking his nose about ten meters away. "You'd better get ready, Bubbles! 'Cause here comes a whole new me!"

* * *

"So, that's it, then?" Ryuzaki said at last in his usual flat tone. "You, Draco Malfoy, conspired to kill, or at least, hurt Kagome Higurashi in order to get to Mr. InuYasha. To meet this end, you stole Polyjiuce Potion from your former Potions Master, Professor Slughorn, whom often uses it in his opening class. You put your own hair into it, and had you, Gregory Goyle, drink it and assume your form. You then had Mr. Goyle leave the area, pretending to be you, while you hung back and waited for the deceased to enter an area where she would be most, i.e. a long bridge over a deep valley, vulnerable. You then used an enchantment to make her fall from said place. However, you failed to kill her, as Professor Springfield saved her before she could meet her tragic end."

"However," Light continued for him, pacing back and forth behind his partner's chair. "The fact that you nearly took a life weighed heavily on your conscience, and you eventually cracked under the emotional stress. I take it, despite your reputation for being a bully while at school, you've never taken a life. But by that time, your partner-in-crime had gotten caught up in the thrill. Somehow, I believe that."

"Yes," Ryuzaki gazed at the large man over his knitted fingers. "And you decided to bide your time and waited to get Ms. Higurashi alone. Four days ago, you saw her rushing toward a staircase and took your opportunity. You used your magic to trip her up, sending her careening down the stairs, thereby killing her. So, do we have it straight?"

"Y-yes," Malfoy sobbed. "I can't take it anymore. I don't care anymore."

"Hmph. Conspiring to commit murder in retaliation for a mere humiliation. What a hollow motive," Ryuzaki gave his opinion in his unemotional way. "No sense in beating around the bush. Mr. Malfoy, in light of your own testimony, you apparently had no direct role in the murder, and may receive a lesser sentence, but for the moment, I'm placing you both under arrest for the murder of Ms. Kagome Higurashi. Watari?"

"Of course, Ryuzaki," the elderly man drew two pairs of handcuffs from his briefcase. "Your wrists, gentlemen?"

"Why even bother tying our hands behind these chairs anyway?" Draco scoffed as Watari untied the ropes binding their hands and attached the cuffs to their wrists.

Just as he had fastened them, the castle around them shook yet again. "Oh, what is it _now?_" Light burst out, now very much frustrated with the constant disturbances. He crossed to the window, nearly jerking Ryuzaki's arm out of its socket as he went.

After looking out for a moment, he turned back around and scoffed as he shook his head. "I don't know what that guy is playing at. He was holding up a sword as big as he is and pretending to fight some imaginary opponent. Is that what these 'demons' do for fun? Serious–"

Suddenly there was a great roar coming from outside, and when Light turned around, his eyes went wide as a cluster of massive tornados of red energy tore through the open air, and before he realized it, with another great quake, a great number of trees in the forest suddenly collapsed, as though something had fallen on top of them. "Wh – what the?" he gasped in shock. Then he looked down below and saw InuYasha, standing at the end of a long path of scorched and upturned earth reinserting the massive blade into the same thin, little sheathe they had seen go out the window with him only a matter of minutes ago. As his eyes scanned the area, he saw multiple trees on the outskirts of the forest that seemed to have been impaled by gigantic shards of some kind of crystal. "Did he … do that? What … is he?"

* * *

"What … was … THAT?" McGonagall was absolutely livid, and all InuYasha could do was shrink back as she seemed to loom over him. He felt as though he was being drilled into by an elderly version of Kagome, and he hoped dearly that that never happened. "Do you have any _idea_ what danger you have put this school and its students in, boy? Why didn't you tell me that happened what you used that monstrosity you keep in your belt?"

Not willing to take any more lip, InuYasha stood his ground and crossed his arms over his chest. "First of all, you old hag, my Tetsusaiga contains one of these demon fangs, so it is literally a part of my being," he pointed to his own pointed teeth. "So calling my sword a 'monstrosity' is the same as calling me the same. And I don't take kindly to insults," he whispered, beginning to sound deadly serious.

"And hey," Ichigo protested in InuYasha's defense, now back in his original body. "He just saved this place from total annihilation. You should be thanking him!"

"Hey you!" InuYasha got in his face. "The last thing I need is some _vegetable_ defending me!"

"If you make another comment about my hair, I'll turn that sword of yours into a toothpick with my bare hands! Got that?"

"Pardon?" InuYasha's hand when to the Tetsusaiga's golden pommel. "You saw what this sword did to our little guest, so if you don't want the same, piss off, fruitcake!"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Ichigo was about to tackle InuYasha to the ground when he froze in place, as though time had stopped for him.

"You heard what I said; I said–" but he could say no more. InuYasha's voice was completely gone.

"That … is enough," she demanded. "Remember, this is a school! You will act appropriately, with dignity.

"Now, I want to know who all of _you_ are, and what you are doing here?" she walked straight up to Ichigo and his friends, looking at them sternly.

Ichigo put his hands up in defense, now free of the spell. "Hey, hey, calm down. We already said we'd tell you everything. Just, can we please take care of that thing first? That goofy Urahara face is a real eyesore."

McGonagall looked past him at the ball and saw Kisuke Urahara's "insignia". "Ugh. I think I see your point," she cringed as she pulled out her wand. "I can only imagine what the man himself is like."

"Trust me," Ichigo whispered in her ear. "You're better off never meeting him."

* * *

On the other side of the world, down below the Earth's surface, Kisuke Urahara sneezed violently. "Ah, a pretty girl must be talking about me," he thought out loud as he wiped his nose and straightened his askew hat.

"You don't really believe that, do you, Mr. Urahara?" his tall, muscular business partner, Tessai, shook his head.

* * *

"So, not only do you not know where you are, but you don't know why you were sent here?" McGonagall looked flabbergasted. The thought of four teenagers suddenly appearing out of nowhere and nearly destroying the Quidditch pitch as they flew in without a clue as to the purpose for which they were there was a little too much to be believed. They were seated in McGonagall's office, with Harry and Ron keeping a sharp eye on the four newcomers, even though with McGonagall, the Headmistress of Hogwarts, present, they didn't think she really needed them, unless she was getting rusty, which neither of them truly believed.

"Please understand, Professor," Uryu spoke up, leveling his glasses. "We were only told the bare minimum. I'm not sure you are aware, but an unknown enemy wiped out our hometown, Karakura, recently in a swift and devastating attack. Fortunately, Kisuke Urahara, whose visage was on the rubber ball we arrived in, spared the majority of Karakura Town's population from the carnage. Not exactly my idea of first, second or even third class accommodations, might I add?

"Getting back to the topic at hand," he continued with a grimace. "Not only did he send us here with little to no explanation, but he told us before blasting us out of the ruined Karakura, 'The Soul Reapers will explain when they get there, and they _will_ be there.'"

"S-S-S-Soul Reapers?" she spluttered in exasperation. "And _they_ are?" she was nearly spitting in his face.

"HEY! Watch the glasses," he took out a cleaning cloth and gently rubbed the lenses clean. "By the way, I like your frames. I'd love to get to ask you about your own glasses."

McGonagall took off her glasses and ran her own cloth along the frames and returned them to her nose. "Well, there can always be time for that later." She actually looked a little flustered, as though no one had ever shown interest in her spectacles. "Now, I want you … one of you to tell me everything you know about these 'Soul Reapers'. As you will soon become aware, there are over a hundred ghosts taking up residence in Hogwarts, and if these Soul Reapers would pose a threat to any one of them, I would die before playing host to that kind of guest."

"Well, I can understand that," Ichigo piped in. "I've been able to see ghosts since before I can remember, and I've made friends with several in Karakura Town. How many are left after that … whatever it was … I don't know. But I assure you that if you explain it to them, they will understand. Albeit some of them are a little bit stubborn, but there are more than a few sensible people among the Captains. Some of them are very … mature and understanding. You might like one or two of them," he smiled, "depending on who is part of the team they send over." _I just hope the Head Captain isn't one of them. That old man scares the shit out of me!_

* * *

Kagome stood atop the tallest tree on King Kai's fighters' training zone of the Grand Kai's planet. In her hand was the tail of King Kai's monkey, Bubbles. He was still connected to it, of course, but was dangling over the leafy edge, chittering.

"Wow, she was right," King Kai chuckled. "She got him before the end of the day. This girl could really be something special – it's a shame all she wants to do is exercise while she's here to increase her stamina and strength in moderation. Well, before I bust out Gregory, I'll need to give Shige a call and let him know the situation."

He turned away and waved his antennae. "Ah, there he is!" _Shige? This is King Kai calling. Are you there? Calling Shigekuni Genryusai Yamamoto …_

* * *

The Head Captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads was sitting in his solitary office when he received King Kai's call.

"I told you a thousand years ago to never call me that again," he spoke sternly, seemingly to nothingness. "What is it? … What? Karakura Town was destroyed?"

"Yes," King Kai put his hands behind his back as he spoke. "It's unfortunate. If I'm not mistaken, it was a spiritual hotspot. Well, it shouldn't take too long for another to establish, and there are a lot of takers. Yes … yes, I understand. Sosuke Aizen, huh? I haven't heard that name in a hundred years. What? The Hogyoku, eh?" _Even I've heard of it all the way out here_. "Hmm. That is bad, isn't it? Three Captains have gone AWOL, plus an unholy alliance with the Soul Reapers' natural enemy? Well, it sounds like you're in it pretty deep."

_And your point is?_

"I might have a solution for you for the moment," he smiled. "Let me look into it." His antennae began to move as though probing empty space. "AH! I've found it."

_You mean –?_

"I do," he chuckled. "And what a spot it is, too. You're probably not familiar with the area, but I'll tell you straight up: it's in Scotland. You wouldn't like the area, though I think your Lieutenant would love it. Ha ha ha.

"Specifically, it's a school of magic, kind of like what you call 'Kido'. Yes, apparently Ol' Kisuke has already sent the Substitute and his friends to the school to scout it out. I think if you send a few of your top officers there, it would be good for them."

_This is no time for a vacation … you clown!_

"Hey, watch who you're calling a clown! The fact of the matter is, your Captains _are_ strong, but they're no match for Aizen and his comrades as they are now. They need to train, and I mean hard. There is a bunch of really strong guys at this school. Your Captains could stand to learn a lot from them. In fact, some of them may find someone they meet there rather relatable."

_And why should I trust you?_

"Because I think one of your own has already been there to scout it out herself. Your very own cat woman. I'm guessing she'll be reporting back to you in no time."

_Hmm, very well. I will make a decision based on what you've told me. Don't bother me with this again._

"Hmph. You really need to lighten up, old man. Fine, don't enlist their help. See if I care! I guess you don't even care that there is a young man who has felt the same pain as your wolf friend."

* * *

At King Kai's words, the Head Captain's eyes opened slightly, possibly in surprise, which he rarely, if ever, felt nowadays. _Someone who shares Sajin's pain_ …

"Very well, King Kai. Your words will be duly noted, and I will consult the other Captains and come to a decision."

_Glad to hear it … Shige! Heh heh *snort*! Gotta run – got a student who needs training_,

"The man frustrates me to no end," the elderly warrior grumbled in his gruff voice, his red eyes flashing. "Chojiro."

In a flash, another man had entered the Head Captain's chamber and was kneeling before his Captain. He had short silver-gray hair and a thin, neat black mustache.

"Send out the Hell Butterflies to all Captains and Lieutenants. They are to report to the Squad 1 barracks for a meeting at once."

His Lieutenant silently nodded and Flash Stepped away.

_OH! One more thing!_

"I thought I told you not to bother me again!" he answered his pestering acquaintance's follow-up message.

_Never mind that. What I told you before was just the good news._

"What?"

_You heard me, Head Captain Yamamoto. There's still the bad news to be relayed._

_Hmm, he almost never calls me that. This _must_ be important_, he thought. "And that is?"

_Aizen has already made the first move._

"What did you say?" the old man grimaced.

_He already sent a Menos to attack the center of the hotspot. Fortunately, there was someone there who was able to repel it._

"Was it the Substitute Soul Reaper, Ichigo Kurosaki?"

_Well, he was present, but no. It wasn't him._

"If not, then who? Out with it, boy!" Yamamoto was beginning to get angry and impatient.

_InuYasha. A young half-demon named InuYasha. Son of the great and powerful Dog General._

This time, the old Soul Reaper's eyes opened wide. "That's a name I've not heard in many, many centuries. You're sure?"

_Unmistakable_ was King Kai's response. _I saw it all myself, plain as day. Using his father's famous sword, he blasted the Menos straight down to Hell, but I'm worried about what Aizen may do next. Knowing him and what the Hogyoku can do, it won't be long until he reaches the next step up. I take it you understand my meaning?_

"I do," the old warrior stood up and pulled his haori over his shoulders as he headed slowly out of his office. "You have made it abundantly clear that this is a situation to be handled with great care." _To think _his_ son is there. I do not like this …_

* * *

"King Kai!"

Kagome's new master turned to see his cheerful student jogging toward him with his pet monkey held high over her head. "I finally did it. I caught him!"

"Ha ha! You sure did. You go, girl!" he chuckled as she reached him and put Bubbles down. "Congratulations!"

Kagome smiled brightly as she wiped the sweat off her brow. "Thank you. I had my doubts about this training, but I guess I've officially eaten my words."

"Heh. Well then, how about eating some dinner and getting a little rest before we start the next training instead?" he laughed.

"Yes!" she laughed back. "But first, can I please take a bath? I really need to wash off," she pulled at the neck of her outfit. "I'm starting to feel really hot," she realized what she said and struck a pose, her chest out and her arms behind her head. "In more way than one!" This, of course, sent King Kai sprawling to the ground – as for Bubbles, he just fell over on his side, his leg twitching.

_This girl is bad for my heart_, he had to admit to himself as he sat up again. "I'll show you to our personal hot springs."

"Oh goodie!" she squealed as he led her away, leaving Bubbles still lying on the ground while Gregory tried to revive him.

* * *

When Kagome was settled comfortably into the hot springs for her bath, King Kai turned back toward the open courtyards filled with fighters sparring and exercising.

"Well, I think I'd better contact him," he thought out loud, waving his antennae around as he walked along the stone pathway between the training warriors.

"Goku, this is King Kai calling. Can you hear me? … Yes, there's been a change of plans. What we're going to do is …"

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to _Bleach_. _Bleach_ is owned by Tite Kubo.

* * *

Translations:

_Cero_: Zero (Spanish), Empty Disaster (literal kanji), Hollow Flash (Japanese) a.k.a. Doom Blast

_Kongōsōha_: Diamond Spear Blast a.k.a. Adamant Barrage

_Bakuryūha_: Bursting Stream Blast a.k.a. Backlash Wave

_Kaze no Kizu_: Scar of the Wind a.k.a. Wind Scar

* * *

**Please**** review/PM! I want to hear your comments, however you choose to convey them.**

I hope everyone found this chapter entertaining. I hope you liked what I did with Yamamoto and King Kai. I know this is long after that fact, but to explain my previous chapter title, despite how obvious it is at this point, the "Z" in Interrogation Z stood for "Zangetsu." Nice little fake–out, huh? Heh heh!

As shown, I have decided to change InuYasha's attacks back to their original Japanese names - I'll also go back and change such in previous chapters, i.e. in his fights with Kakashi and Hagrid, when I'm able to edit them for error, consistency, etc.

I have some special plans for the Soul Reapers at Hogwarts, so I'm going to post a separate update in a week or so, when everything is ready, because I'll be needing your help.


	60. Polls are now open!

Hello, my readers!

I am sorry I've taken so long to put up my poll in preparation for the next chapter. I'll make no excuses, but anyway, back to business.

The poll is on my profile page, and will stay open for 2-3 months, maybe more depending on voting trends.

The question is: which of Bleach's Soul Reapers should make up the excursion team to Hogwarts in this fic? The team the scouting team, not the final team who will stick around at Hogwarts. That will be decided later. Different teams will rotate from time to time, as I have plans for many of the Soul Reaper Captains, but this is just for them to decide what they will do in regards to the world crisis, the new spiritual hotspot, and training its Captains and Lieutenants to prepare for Aizen's assault. The people chosen here will all scout out the situation, and their combined testimony will decide the result.

Naturally, since Squad 1 is in the leadership role in the Seireitei, and because I'm sure he would not enjoy it, Head Captain Yamamoto and Lieutenant Sasakibe are exempt, since he always sticks by his Captain's side.

There are 19 choices, so all registered voters can choose 18 people, but it can be done only once, so make sure to think it over.

As I've said in the past, I'm going to do this as closely to the source material as I possibly can, so choose wisely with that in mind. That said, this is a popularity issue. If you want to see someone go there, then by any means vote for them. If someone I wouldn't normally pick ends up going there, I'll just have to figure something out that will prevent things from ... blowing up in everyone's faces.

The final number of members on the team have not yet been decided, so if there is a multi-way tie, I'll figure something out.

You guys are making the decisions here. I want to see what YOU think. So tell me what you want, and I'll deliver.

If anyone seeing this is not registered, and you want to place a vote, either Register on the site and vote or submit a guest review. Don't hesitate - if you're a Bleach fan, I want to hear your voice!


	61. Hiatus notice

It brings me great regret to inform you all that my latest chapter for The New Threat was less than a page away from completion when I lost the flash drive with all my fan fic writing on it - it was the only thing with the updated fic on it. Not only that, but all the copy editing and improvements I'd done on all of the other chapters are gone as well. Six months of work, just like that. I was careless when I was showing it off to a friend out of the house. It happened four days ago, so there's almost no chance of getting it back.

I'm afraid I'm going to have to put The New Threat on an indefinite hiatus until I've re-written the chapter and done all of the updating of the previous chapters. Fortunately, I managed to update my other fics before this happened, so this should be the only one affected.

Until I've posted it, the poll on my profile will remain open indefinitely, so vote if you haven't yet. So far, I've only seen a dozen voters, and I know there's more of you out there!


	62. Chapter 46: Meeting of the Leaders

*sigh* It's finally done. I apologize for taking so long, but as soon as I think it's ready, I keep getting more ideas. I'm sure you guys know how it is. I'm happy to say that the addition of Bleach to this fic is now official. The addition of Ichigo and his friends was not enough for me, but now I'm bringing the whole series in as well.

* * *

Meeting of the Leaders

In the barren, sand-filled wasteland of Hueco Mundo, it was nearly time for tea in the enormous palace of Las Noches.

A tall, thin silver-haired man with squinted eyes walked through a long corridor, carrying a tray with a teapot towards a large chamber containing long table surrounded by exactly eleven chairs. In each was seated a uniquely shaped humanoid creature. Each place at the table had a large cup sitting in front of its owner. There, another man, this one dark-skinned with dreadlocks and a visor over his eyes, stood at attention behind the head of the table, where a third man was seated. This man had slicked back brown hair and seemed the most at ease at present. All were dressed in similar white garments and carried swords somewhere on their person.

"Ah, good," he spoke at last. "We're all gathered at last. We have an important matter to discuss, but first, let's have our tea. Gin?"

At these words, the silver-haired man nodded and began pouring each person's tea in turn, his snake-like grin never fading from his face. As he finally finished pouring the brown-haired man his cup, a violent explosion was heard outside and the walls of the palace shook for about two full seconds. Several figures stirred.

"What was that, Gin?" the dark-skinned man curtly asked.

"Hmm," the silver-haired man put his head back slightly. "I'm not sure. It seems something impacted on the Eastern wall of Las Noches. I do not sense any intruders in the surrounding area, though. Very curious indeed, my dear Kaname."

"It seems our scout to the World of the Living was not very well-received," the third man concluded, sipping his tea. "From the feel of that energy in the brief moment it appeared, not only was the Gillian destroyed, but whomever destroyed it sent a return message to us."

"More like an angry letter! We're being challenged!" a rough-looking man with light blue hair slammed his hand flat on the table. "I knew it was a bad idea to send a mindless foot soldier to do a warrior's job. One of us should have gone in the first place!"

"Grimmjow!" Kaname turned to him. "You will only speak when addressed, is that understood?"

"Don't give me that bullshit, Tosen!" he threw back at him, rising to his feet. "I –"

"Grimmjow."

As he turned to look at the stoic man sitting before him, a great force of pressure nearly forced the blue-haired man to his knees.

"I must have heard you wrong. Were you questioning my judgment in sending a Gillian instead of one of you?"

Barely able to speak, the blue-haired man forced a bow and said shakily, "N-no, Lord Aizen. Please, forgive me. I was simply stating that if one of us had gone, the objective you set for us would have been accomplished." The pressure let up almost immediately, leaving him sweating heavily and breathing hard as he returned to his seat.

"On the contrary, it was indeed accomplished," the man smiled calmly. "I knew from the very beginning that this Gillian would be destroyed, but what I did not count on was the fact – or, more accurately, likelihood – that it would _not_ be a Soul Reaper who destroyed it."

There were audible sounds as the guests at the table stirred.

"Silence," Kaname ordered, and the noise stopped.

"From the feel of the energy that struck Las Noches, I have theorized that it was in fact a Yōkai that did this."

"Ooh!" Gin almost whistled. "Now that's a word I haven't heard in over 50 years."

"A … Yōkai, Lord Aizen?" Kaname wondered out loud. "I understand they were wiped out many years ago."

"Very true, Kaname," Sosuke Aizen smiled. "But it seems some may have slipped through the fingers of the Soul Reapers. When I had heard that all known Yōkai had already been killed 300 years ago, I cursed my luck for never getting to … meet one for myself. But it seems that chance has presented itself again."

"Lord Aizen," a stoic voice broke the ensuing silence. It came from a white-skinned man with black hair and a bone-like helmet. He opened his eyes slowly and looked at his master. "What would you have us do for you?"

"Hmm," his equally stoic master chuckled. "Now, now. No need to be hasty. Let's enjoy our tea before it gets cold. There will be plenty of time to discuss our next move when the … formalities are out of the way."

* * *

Miroku and Sango sat under a tree by the shoreline, looking out over the water. Miroku had his left arm around the young woman and did not make a move for her breast or anything; he simply wasn't in the mood. He looked up at the sky and closed his eyes pensively for a brief moment to gather his thoughts. _King Kai said he could promise Kagome's safe return to us, but I still can't bring myself to believe such a miracle could be possible._ "San-"

"Miroku?" she asked at the same time without turning to look at him.

"Hmm?" he looked down at her. "Is something troubling you, Sango?"

"Oh!" she blushed, meeting his eyes briefly but quickly averting her gaze. "I'm sorry, you go first."

"No, no. It's nothing important. Go ahead," he blushed and looked upwards.

"Well, Okay. You see … I'm worried …"

"About what?" he looked back down at her.

"About King Kai's promise," she said slowly, as if trying to hold back her emotions. "Isn't it … impossible to bring someone back to life as completely as he claims?"

"Well, I've never heard of these Dragon Balls he spoke of, but we know that Sesshomaru's Tenseiga can revive the dead, and Naraku has done it before with the sacred jewel shards, so it _is_ possible," Miroku put his right hand to his chin as he spoke, being careful not to bring up Sango's little brother. _Then again, if these Dragon Balls really _can_ grant any wish a person desires,_ he looked down at his right hand. _Maybe …_

"But if it were true, wouldn't we have found one in all our travels in the past?!" she said, her voice barely restrained.

"Well, we were almost single-mindedly focused on Naraku and the jewel shards," he moved his hand to her shoulder soothingly. "We could easily have overlooked something like that, given we weren't looking for them and we didn't know they existed. Plus, according to King Kai, there are only seven of them in the whole world. Finding one of those while traveling is like finding a needle in a haystack, as opposed to finding Sacred Jewel shards, which attract demons like moths to a bonfire. Even if we had come upon one, we wouldn't have known what it was or what to do with it."

Sango was about to speak again when he pulled her close. "I know it's hard. We've all gone through our share of misery ever since we began our war against Naraku. We're all suffering from Kagome's loss; we've all lost a special friend, and some people never recover from that kind of trauma. InuYasha, especially, is suffering, but I think he will recover as soon as –" He was about to finish when an immense quake shook the ground. Half the leaves on the tree were shaken off, and fell around them like raindrops. "That tremor! What the Hell was it?!"

"Never mind that!" Sango jumped to her feet. "I sense an ominous aura nearby. How could I not have sensed it earlier."

"No sense wondering about it right now," Miroku rose to his feet and grabbed their weapons, which had been propped up against the tree trunk. "Let's go check it out. I think it came from the training grounds!"

"Let's go!" Sango cried, and they raced off in the direction from which the aura was emanating. _I hope Kagome is faring better than us._

* * *

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh, this is wonderful!" Kagome stretched as she sat in the hot water of the North Quadrant barracks' bathing area. After exercising for days, this truly felt like Heaven to her. "I never thought for one second that Other World would have luxuries like this." Sitting with her back to the wall, she lifted her leg straight upward.

"Wow, I'm so flexible now," she marveled at her newfound suppleness. "Who knew chasing a monkey could lead to such an … _amazing_ result? Mm-hm. Not an once of flab on this hot bod!

"But something's weird," she looked down at her chest, gently caressing her bosom. "I'm dead, right? So logically, my body shouldn't still be growing. And yet, why do my breasts feel bigger? I don't get it."

_But that's not all; there's something else I don't understand_, she thought, lowering herself up to her nose in the hot water. Despite there being so many fighters from the North side of the universe here in Other World, Kagome was rather surprised she had not seen any women there. _Am I the only girl here? I wish there was another woman here to talk to._

* * *

By the time Miroku and Sango arrived at the scene, the dust was already settling and InuYasha was already walking back towards the castle. His body looked ravaged, as though he'd been tortured in the time since they'd last seen him several days earlier. Confused though he was, Miroku had a hunch as to how his friend got into such a state.

"InuYasha!"

At the sound of Miroku's call, their friend turned and faced them as they stopped running. Despite his battered visage, he seemed in a rather chipper mood. "Hey, what've you guys been up to? You're late. I've already wasted the demon."

"Yes, we sensed it from all the way from the other side of the castle," the young monk replied, surprised at their friend's mood.

"On our way, we saw your attack. It looks like you've gotten stronger, InuYasha. Did your Bakuryūha turn red?" Sango panted.

"Yeah," InuYasha looked down at his Tetsusaiga. "I think it had something to do with that demon's energy. It was so red it looked like a beam of blood. It really reeked, too. It wasn't like any demon I've ever seen in my life. It was bigger than the castle, wore a weird white mask and had a huge black body with a giant hole in the chest."

"Sango?" Miroku looked at the young demon slayer, but she shook her head.

"I've never heard of or seen anything like that before," she looked certain. "Not with a description like that."

InuYasha put his hand to his chin. "That orange-haired kid called it something weird, like some made-up word or something, so maybe we should talk to him."

"Oh?" Miroku and Sango blinked. "We have guests?"

"INUYASHA!"

The three friends turned their heads to see Shippo making a beeline for them, running on all fours. He leaped onto InuYasha's shoulder and whispered something in his ear.

"WHAT?" he shouted, nearly knocking Shippo off his shoulder. "They know who killed Kagome?!" Before either Miroku or Sango could stop them, InuYasha had raced off with Shippo hanging onto his hair for dear life.

Sango was about to follow them when Miroku grabbed her shoulder firmly. As she looked back at him, he shook his head. "We'll wait out here for now. If they try to come out the front door, they'll have us to deal with." _Honestly, I'd love to get my hands on whoever did this to our friend, but I know that InuYasha would kill just to get one shot at him, whoever he is._

* * *

"What?!" Kagome said in disbelief when King Kai told her that her normal training was over. "You don't mean to say I'm done, do you?!"

"Not at all," her new master smiled goofily. "I'm just saying your training with _me_ is done. You said all you wanted was to improve your physical abilities, yes? Well, I think you've done that. You can now run faster and jump higher than even the most talented human athletes on Earth." His student's expression instantly changed.

"You mean all that came from chasing a monkey?!"

"On a planet with greater gravity than Earth," he chuckled light-heartedly. "I told you training in this place has benefits.

"However," he continued, his tone growing more serious. "I sense you have a great spiritual power nestled deep within your body."

"A great … spiritual power?" Kagome echoed slowly. Then her eyes widened. _He's right. I was always wondering where that power I used when Mistress Centipede first attacked me was coming from. Then there was the time I repelled Tsubaki's snake. Then, there are my sacred arrows … all those times, I used my power innately – it just happened. Is he saying –?_

"It's time for you to learn how to use that power at will!" King Kai smiled.

"But how can I do that?" she looked down at her hands. "You say it like it's so easy…"

"Oh, but it is!"

Kagome spun around, suddenly alert at the sound of the unfamiliar voice, but relaxed when she saw a wrinkled old man walking toward her. With him was a tall younger man with broad shoulders and a kind, gentle smile. They were both wearing the same posh outfits, one dark blue and one bright red, and had light purple skin and white hair. The old man had a small tuft on the top of his head, but the younger man's hair cascaded down his back not much unlike InuYasha's.

"Kagome Higurashi, I'd like you to meet the Supreme Kai and Old Kai. They're here to help you with the next phase of your training."

"It's nice to meet you," she bowed politely.

"Greetings," the tall man nodded, extending his hand. "It's always nice to meet a new face from Earth. You see, I've been to your planet before and I've found those I've met there to be some of the most interesting people I've come to know in several million years."

"What? Several m-m-m-million?" Kagome exclaimed as she shook his hand. "But you're so young!" _He must moisturize REALLY WELL!_ The Supreme Kai only laughed.

"Yes, I don't look it very much, do I?" he chuckled. "Thank you."

"Uh, if I may, sir?" Kagome blushed. "How will you be – EEEEE!" she stiffened instantly.

"Hmm," the old man was whispering to himself as he looked her over closely, more closely than Kagome felt comfortable with. "Hoo hoo! Yes, yes. This one has amazing powers within her. I can do something with _her_!"

"Hey, what are you doing? Stop _touching_ me!" she recoiled. _ I swear this old guy was just feeling me up!_

"Please, ancestor, behave yourself!" the Supreme Kai bent over to scold him.

"Hmph! You whippersnappers should treat your elders with more respect," he threw his chin up in a huff. "I thought you wanted my help. Well, forget it."

"What?!" King Kai cried. "But you promised you'd help her."

"Well, I've changed my mind. Help a disrespectful brat like this? Give me one good reason why I should. Hm?" he turned his back to them. "Coming here was a waste of time and energy."

"But ancestor, I was the one who did all the work," his younger counterpart reminded him.

_Brat?!_ "Will someone please tell me what kind of 'help' we're talking about here? I don't get it at all!" Kagome burst out in frustration.

Supreme Kai sighed heavily and came closer to her. Bending over, he whispered in her ear. "I'm very sorry about this. To make the long story short, my ancestor has the ability to unlock and awaken a person's dormant potential, or 'sleeping powers' as he calls them. Once awakened, they become incredibly powerful, capable of performing feats previously impossible to them. To use his own words, an ordinary cat would become as fierce and strong as a lion."

"Ohhh," Kagome had stars in her eyes as the Supreme Kai's words echoed in her mind. But then a hideous idea forced its way into her thoughts. She imagined a savage, almost grotesque, muscle-bound version of herself. She could easily imagine InuYasha's reaction, among others – it wasn't pretty. "No, no, no, no, NO! I don't want to look like that ugly blimp!" she cried, shaking her head violently to clear it, but to no avail.

Old Kai sniggered upon hearing this.

"Now, now. Now, now," Supreme Kai tried to soothe her troubled mind. "It's nothing like that, I assure you. I've witnessed him use his powers once before, and the person's outward appearance doesn't change one bit. It's what's inside that changes is all, I promise."

Kagome sighed. "Oh, good." _If that were to happen, I wouldn't want to come back to life. Even InuYasha would be traumatized, never mind Shippo and the others._ "But what do we do now? He just said he refuses to help. Please, do you know of any way to change his mind, Supreme Kai?"

The tall Kai's expression changed immediately. "Well," he said hesitantly, blushing a deep red. "There is one thing he would probably go for, but … you won't –"

"Okay!"

They both turned to see the old man turn his head back to look Kagome in the eye vindictively, but then his gaze drifted as he looked her over again, seeming to take his time examining her profile. Bending his arms behind his back pensively, he turned back around and looked into her eyes. What he saw was not defiance, but conviction … and something else, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. It reminded him of something he saw in a former pupil. "All right, I'll tell you what. I'll awaken your sleeping powers for you if you like, but only under one condition."

"Condition?" she blinked.

"Yes," he smiled, almost mischievously. "In return, you have to –" but before he could finish, his younger counterpart raced over to him and protested.

"I think you should ask for something else, ancestor. I don't think she would be at all receptive to what you're about to demand."

"Rrrrg! Don't get in my way! You little whippersnapper!" the Old Kai nearly spat back in his partner's face, stomping his feet on the ground in frustration in a way that reminded Kagome of how her little brother was several years ago, but he settled down fairly quickly. Clearing his throat, he gave up. "We'll discuss the terms later. We have lots of work to do, so let's just get started. Now, just know that once we start, there is no stopping it. Are you prepared, little girl?"

_Little girl, huh?_ "Yes!" she nearly shouted in earnest.

"Very well, then. Stand right there, keep your chin up and remain perfectly still," he directed, walking slowly forward and stopping about four paces away. "Otherwise, this will never work and we will only have wasted our time."

"Uh, okay," she straightened her back and gulped.

"Well then, _WAKE UP, YOU LAZY NO-GOOD POWERS!_ If you know what's good for you, you'll wake up right NOW!" he suddenly shouted and threw his hands out in front of him. He tightened his fists in focus and began to … dance around her in a eight-foot radius.

Kagome and King Kai were both stunned at the man's … strange methods. "Uh, sir?" she started, but he interrupted.

"Quiet, and be still! This may not be glamorous, but it's important. Now just relax and let an old man work!" he barked as he continued his slow progression.

King Kai walked up to the Supreme Kai and whispered to him, "Uh, is this … really necessary?"

He nodded. "Yes, you wouldn't expect a ritual like this, but I promise you it is effective. This method is what gave Gohan the power to fight Majin Buu on more-than-equal terms for a time."

"Ohhhh," his eyes went wide with wonder behind his dark glasses. "So that's why Gohan got so strong so fast! But … I can't see him sitting – er, standing still for this."

The Supreme Kai cleared his throat. "Well, unorthodox though it may be, it will all be worth it in the future. Once my ancestor has released Kagome's full potential, I will take over and teach her how to channel her immense power. Trust me, King Kai. After 25 hours, Kagome won't even recognize her own power."

"I see, 25 – WHAT?!"

"Did – did you say 25 hours?!" Kagome exclaimed in utter shock, almost losing her posture.

"That's right," the Old Kai stated flatly. "Five more hours for this, then 20 more for power raising, so relax. If you tense up, the process could go horribly wrong! You could end up like _that_!"

The horrid image of a few minutes earlier passed through her mind again and Kagome began to sweat. Now she wasn't so sure about this, but whether she liked it or not, the process had begun and there was no turning back now. _But how did he know about that? And come to think of it, how could Supreme Kai have known what I was thinking earlier, too? Don't tell me they can both …_

* * *

As Professors McGonagall and Springfield listened, Light read the verdict reached only moments ago by Ryuzaki and himself.

"As stated by Mr. Draco Malfoy, the defendants attempted a premeditated murder unto Ms. Kagome Higurashi on the evening of September 1st. Though unsuccessful, the heavy stress brought on by said attempted murder overwhelmed Mr. Malfoy and he withdrew from his own plot. Thereafter, Mr. Goyle decided to wait another day for his opportunity to come. Finally, when he witnessed the deceased beginning to descend the big staircase outside the Great Hall, he used the Trip Jinx to force the deceased to trip over her own two feet, and subsequently fall down the stairs, thus causing her death via a broken neck," he summed it up lengthily. "In doing so, he attempted to make it look like an accident. However, the more like an accident a death seems, the more suspicious it becomes if it happens more than once in a person who does not have a history of clumsiness."

"Under normal circumstances, we would take the two into custody and decide their punishments ourselves," Ryuzaki continued. "However, given the nature of the crime and the establishment in which the murder took place, we will leave the punishment of these two to your own penal system. I feel it's prudent for wizards to punish wizard criminals." He looked McGonagall straight in the eye. "I suggest punishing Mr. Goyle to the fullest extent of the law for murdering an innocent, but a lesser punishment for Mr. Malfoy, due to his role or lack thereof in the actual murder. Do you disagree, Professors?"

Negi answered his question with a nod, but McGonagall had something to say. "Whether _we_ disagree or not, Mr. Ryuzaki, will solve nothing," she looked down at the guilty party disdainfully. "The courts will decide their fate. Professor Springfield, arrange for an owl to be sent to the Ministry reporting what has transpired here, as well as a request for a team of Aurors to transport these two to Azkaban to await trial."

"Actually, Professor," Negi winked. "With all due respect, I have another idea. On my way to the Owlery, I'll send for Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley to come and take them away. I feel it might be more … appropriate. Oh, and we might want to have them use the Floo Network to transport them straight from here." He headed for the door, pausing briefly before leaving. He looked back, smiling. "After all, if InuYasha's eye catches even one sight of them, not even their bones would be left intact. Having corpses to bury would be the least of our worries; we'd be too busy scraping the blood and shredded entrails off the walls." Then he was gone.

At these words, Malfoy and Goyle turned white as paper. "Y-y-y-y-you keep that mutt-freak away from us!" Goyle stammered in a panic, trying to look back at the two young detectives.

"Hey, I'm the only one who gets to call him that!"

They all looked around to see a young man wearing armor and what looked like fur around his waist leaning against the wall by the broken window.

"What?" Light gasped. "Who are you? How long have you been here? And how did you get in here?!"

_Oh great. Not him, too_, Malfoy thought, now very worried. He'd seen how rough InuYasha was, but he had no idea what to expect from Koga.

"Oh, through the window, and if you must know, I've been here about a minute, maybe," the man walked past L and Light, coming to a stop between Malfoy and Goyle, who were still sitting in their chairs with their hands restrained with rope behind their backs. "Long enough to hear that these two scumbags are the ones who took Kagome away from us!" he grabbed both of their heads with his clawed hands and got between them, looking from one to the other, baring his long fangs. "You two are lucky I'm not that mutt, InuYasha!" he said in a low voice, bringing his sharp claws mere centimeters from their eyes. "If I were, your heads wouldn't be where they are right now. Catch my drift?" This made the two men turn even whiter.

Satisfied with seeing the fear on their faces, the man knocked their heads together and turned back towards the window from whence he'd come. "By the way, old woman, that Elric shrimp is finally back from whatever trip he took, and that Potter kid wants to see you in the North Tower at once."

"'O-old woman'? How dare you?" McGonagall said angrily.

"Something about some 'Moldy Wart' character or something," he said with a wave of his hand, without turning.

Understanding his meaning at once, she recovered. "Right. Of course," she could only reply as she watched him leap out. _These young people … so wild and reckless. They've already left us so far behind._

* * *

"Well, I can't say I'm that surprised," Ron said as he looked at the pitiful state of the once-feared Draco Malfoy and Gregory Goyle. "But seriously, Malfoy, I thought you would have learned from your father's mistakes."

"Don't you even mention my father, Weasley, especially with the kind of family you have," Malfoy seethed angrily, looking from him to Harry, as if daring him to stick up for his friend, who was turning red in the face. To his disappointment, however, Harry made no attempt to even comment. He simply turned to Professor McGonagall.

"We are only to turn them over to the Ministry, correct?" he checked with her as he looked back at the two former Slytherins for whom he had once felt contempt – now he only felt sympathy for the wayward men. "Then, we're to come back here."

"Correct, Potter," McGonagall nodded. "And when you return, come to the Teachers' Lounge immediately. We must confer about the return of Lord Voldemort and what our next move is to be. If our enemies are gathering their forces, we must not fall behind, lest we be annihilated."

"So it is true, then," Harry whispered to himself. He took Malfoy by the shoulder as his partner grabbed Goyle by his. "Now I think we'd better get moving. For all we know, InuYasha could be on his way here right now, and I don't think any of us doesn't know why."

Crossing to the fireplace, Harry took a pinch of powder from the phial beside it and tossed it in, calling forth the green flames they were all so familiar with. "We won't be long, Professor," he told her over his shoulder and stepped in with Malfoy, calling out, "Ministry of Magic!" and disappearing. As Ron followed suit with Goyle in tow, Professor McGonagall sighed.

"Now that _that's_ over, you boys should go and freshen up. Have you even bathed since you got here?!"

At this question, Light looked himself over. "You're right, Professor," he smiled casually. "I guess I could use a shower. I confess we've been working so hard we must have forgotten. That's no excuse, though. Come on, Ryuzaki. We should take a shower before we go back to Japan."

"That would be a good idea," she agreed. "I recommend the Prefects' bathroom on the fifth floor. Look for the statue of a confused-looking wizard with his gloves on the wrong hands. From there, go four doors to the left and tell the door, 'Pine fresh.' That's the password."

"Password?" Light raised an eyebrow.

"Of course," she crossed her arms in an amused way. "The more important rooms in the castle are always password protected."

"Oh, well that makes some sense," Light thought out loud as the two made their way to the door. "Thanks," he said with a bow as he closed the door behind them, careful not to close it on the chain binding their wrists.

"Well, I think this has been an interesting time, don't you think, Ryuzaki?" Light put his hands behind his head as they walked towards the nearest stair well.

"Well, it was something different, Light," Ryuzaki answered in his usual flat tone as they reached the stairwell and headed up, being careful to avoid any trick-stairs.

"I'm curious, Ryuzaki," Light said as they neared the next floor. "Why _did_ you agree to take this case anyway? We were in the middle of the Kira Case, the biggest mass murder investigation in history, and yet, on a whim, we trek halfway across the world to investigate the murder of a single girl. I … I just don't get it."

"Well, Light … it was a personal reason. Perhaps I'll tell you while we head back to Japan." They were so focused on their conversation that they didn't hear the commotion coming from two floors below as a pair of figures slowly made their way up the steps to the second floor.

* * *

"I can't wait until I get my hands on those dirtbags!" InuYasha seethed with quiet rage as he stormed up the stairs, cracking his fingers constantly in anticipation. "They're gonna die a hundred deaths before I'm done!"

"Oh no you don't, InuYasha!" Shippo said as he struggled to keep up with the much larger half-demon. "YOW!" he cried out as he almost fell through a trick-step, only to be caught by the tail by InuYasha, who did not even bother to stop walking.

"Sorry, Shippo, but this going to be first come, first served! You're going to have to get there first, 'cos if I get to them first, there won't be anything left to for you! Ah, there it is!" he said as the door to McGonagall's office came into view.

* * *

"I'm getting too old for all of this," the Headmistress held her head as she turned to leave the office.

She was about to open the door when InuYasha and Shippo burst through with looks of pure rage on their faces, nearly throwing McGonagall to the floor. "WHERE ARE THEY?! WHERE ARE THE SCUMBAGS?! Let me at 'em so I can kill 'em!" InuYasha was shouting at the top of his voice.

"Just leave some of them for me, okay InuYasha?!" Shippo was yelling from his perch on InuYasha's shoulder. "I'll make them scream for –! Hey, where are they, anyway?!"

"You're too late," McGonagall crossed her arms in amusement. "They just left not a minute ago." This disappointed Shippo, but InuYasha's rage only grew.

"Then tell me where to!" InuYasha pushed past her and grabbed at the phial of powder, nearly knocking Shippo from his shoulder. "There's no way I'm letting them get away from me!"

"I will _not_ tell you where they've gone," she struggled to pull the phial from his clenched fist. "You have more important things to be doing. Are you a teacher or aren't you?"

"No, I am NOT a teacher! I learned that much from that waste of time you call a class last week. The whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth. I thought you would have figured that out by now. Don't start getting senile now – you're not old enough for that just yet. Now if you'll excuse me, I NEED TO GO PUNCH SOMETHING!" he dropped Shippo and left in a rage. _Besides, the only reason I decided to go through with it was to get some payback on those bastards for bullying Shippo, anyway._

As he hit the ground, the young fox swore he saw smoke spewing from his friend's ears.

As Shippo scrambled to his feet, he couldn't take his eyes off the door. "Was I just hearing things or … did InuYasha just compliment you?" He felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Not unless we're both hearing things," McGongall patted his head. "Now come," she said as she made to follow the young man. "I should notify Hagrid and Pomona. I fear the forest will be feeling that boy's wrath today. I'll also have to have a talk with Mr. Elric – I'm afraid he's been shirking his responsibilities as a teacher these past days."

* * *

"Draco Malfoy … Gregory Goyle … when Voldemort was destroyed, I prayed I wouldn't be seeing you boys in this kind of situation," Kingsley said in his slow, deep voice as he paced around his desk at the Ministry as Harry finished relaying the story to him. "I'd hoped you had learned your lesson six years ago."

"So did we," Harry and Ron agreed out loud.

"If only this were the worst of it," he put his head in his hand. "When I received Professor McGonagall's owl, I didn't want to believe that he had returned."

Harry nodded. "I didn't want to believe it either, but now I reckon we have no choice but to –"

"Believe it, Potter!" Malfoy hissed. "Weasley, roll up my sleeve." Ron took his time rolling up Malfoy's right sleeve. "The other one, you bloody fool!" This earned him a swat to the head before his left sleeve was rolled up, revealing an old scar burned onto him by his father's former master. One week ago, no one would have known it was there at all, but now it was as dark as the robes they wore. "He's back, so you'd better sleep with one eye open from now on."

"Thanks for the tip," Harry said, beginning to roll down the man's sleeves again.

Before Harry could put Malfoy's left sleeve down, Kingsley hurried over and examined Malfoy's arm, specifically the hideous black snake slithering out of the mouth of a skull. "The Dark Mark," he whispered, worry in his voice. "Ours worst fears have been realized. We will have to abandon this Ministry Building for a while."

"Abandon the Ministry?" Ron started. "But why?"

"If Voldemort is back, then the Death Eaters could return with him, and though it appears the Taboo has not been cast for the time being, we must remain cautious. There are still more than a fair number of Death Eaters in Azkaban. Remember what happened last time he returned? They took complete control over the Ministry and caused widespread destruction and torment to any who opposed them, magical or otherwise."

"Are you going to abandon the Ministry, Kingsley?" Ron asked the question on everyone's mind.

The man solemnly nodded. "It seems to be the most logical thing to do. Seven years ago, the then-Minister, Rufus Scrimgeour, chose to prioritize appearances over truth in the campaign against the Death Eaters. This, as you know, gave Voldemort an opportunity to send his agents to infiltrate the Ministry, leading to the coup that would claim his life. If we are to triumph over an enemy who has even Voldemort under his control, it would be … a mistake to resist in any way."

"Then … you'll just give up? Without a fight?!" Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"What good would there be?" Kingsley shook his head. "It would only give rise to an even greater disaster if the enemy is as powerful as I fear. I'm talking about a death toll the likes of which none of us have ever seen! It was be … a massacre."

"Then what _will_ you do?" Ron broke in. "You can't just disband the Ministry!"

"Agreed," Kingsley turned to look him in the eye. "But whatever we do, we need to make a decision and we need to make it quickly. The _Daily Prophet's_ report on the attack on Japan's Kansai Magic Association was indeed an eye-opening revelation. It was all-but-clear from the beginning that this enemy was not going to stop at simply destroying magical communities; magical law enforcement organizations would be sure to follow. Will they come here? If Voldemort is with them, the chances of this are great."

"So what _do_ we do?" Harry asked nervously.

"I must confer with the Wizenmagot. Given the evidence you have presented me with, I'm confident we will be able to find a fast and effective solution. For now, I will have Williamson and Andrews escort these two to Azkaban to await trial." When he saw their fearful expressions, he smiled.

"Relax, boys. If you recall, I've long since banished the Dementors from Azkaban, so you won't have to worry, and I have no intention of putting you in a cell anywhere near any Death Eaters. Last thing we need is them knowing you're there, especially after your father helped bring some of them to justice. While I was overseeing their sentencing, I heard Dolohov swear revenge on your family if he ever caught sight of – and these are his words, not mine, 'those filthy traitorous cowards' if he ever caught sight of a single one of you, even if he had to do it with his hands."

"Much obliged," Malfoy mouthed almost inaudibly.

"Well, I guess we'll be on our way, Ron. Professor McGonagall will want to see us right away," Harry sighed, scratching his head. "Kingsley, send us an owl when you've reached a consensus? We need to know what we're dealing with. And we'll keep you posted in turn, in case new evidence comes to light, because I have a feeling it will … and soon."

"Of course," Kingsley nodded. "And Ron, tell your father about what we discussed. He'll want to know."

"Uh, right," Ron nodded as he followed Harry to the fireplace.

"Godspeed, gentlemen," the boss called just before they disappeared in a swirl of ashes.

* * *

There was almost no noise to be heard at the Squad 1 barracks in the Soul Society's Soul Reaper-centric community, the Seireitei. This large complex housed not only the living quarters and offices for Squad 1 members and officers, but a grand assembly hall as well. It was here that all the Captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads would converge whenever a Captains' Meeting was called, and as the sun rose over the highest tower in the city, signs of life could be seen and heard in the halls leading to the assembly hall.

One by one, various men and women walked quietly into the large room and took their positions, standing in numerical order in two rows along the length of the room. Captains of odd-numbered squads took one side of the room and even-numbered squad Captains took the other as they waited for their respected Head Captain to enter the room and address them.

One of the men looked near the chair at the end of the room. He tipped his straw hat and said, "Huh. Where's Old Man Yama? He's usually the first person here."

"I believe he had urgent business to attend to before he joined us," said a youthful-looking woman with long black hair worn down her front in a long braid.

"That's not like him," the long white-haired captain at the end of the odds line spoke up. "The Head Captain usually deals with everything before coming to this chamber and is still waiting for us when we arrive."

"True," the man wearing the hat agreed with him. "You gotta respect him for that, and he never gives us grief when he gets here first and has to wait for us."

Just then the large door opened, and as the captains turned and stood at attention in anticipation of their superior's arrival, a boy with silver hair walked in instead and took his place on the evens side.

"Oh, Captain Hitsugaya," the white-haired man spoke first. "Glad you could join us. I hope you're feeling better?"

The boy closed his eyes as he answered. "Captain Unohana cleared me to 'move around' several days ago. I can't stand lying around and leaving all the work to Rangiku; nothing will ever get done if I'm not there to keep an eye on her." Not long ago, the young Captain had suffered a grievous injury at the hands of the traitorous Sosuke Aizen and had been in intensive care until less than one week ago.

The man with the hat laughed light-heartedly, his flower-patterned haori stirring. "Only a few days out of bed and already back to work. Leave it to our boy-genius. He'll put us all to shame one day."

"Some before others, Captain Kyoraku," a short young woman standing near the Head Captain's chair retorted curtly.

"Quiet, all of you," a cool-and-collected-type man with black hair spoke up. "The Head Captain has arrived."

At his words, the large doors opened once more and their leader slowly entered the chamber. When he finally reached his place opposite the door, he turned, clicked his staff on the floor and spoke, his eyes beginning to open. "Thank you all for gathering so promptly. The situation in the World of the Living has reached critical severity and warrants immediate action. So without further delay, let us commence the Captain's Meeting."

* * *

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I put a lot of work into it ... twice, but I think it was worth it in the end. Don't you?

I hope my idea to have the Old and Supreme Kais train Kagome will make some of you happy, as well as some of the other things I've set in motion. It is true that I have no given Ed and Al their long-overdue screen time, so I'm going to try and rectify that soon. I may very well decide to make a potentially controversial move in the next chapter, so I hope you will be ready to forgive me when the time comes.

This is it! The day I post the next chapter or update is the day I close the poll on my profile. If you haven't voted, then vote before it is too late - don't leave it for later, 'cos you might just miss your chance.

As for our friends from Death Note, the next chapter will likely be their last chapter in this fic, so get your fill of them while you can!

**If there's something anyone wants to see or would like to tell me, just leave me a review or send a PM. However, if you have nothing good to say, I must ask that you don't say anything. At this point, I've received a couple of really offensive reviews, and would prefer to avoid those in the future.**


	63. Author's Note

07/26/2013

It has come to my attention that some guest reviewers are rather ... displeased with my work, and I would like to take a moment to respond.

I don't think my writing is perfect and never have - I'm human, just like everyone else on FF.

I try to produce canon works that keep the characters as close to how they would normally be as I can, but when you cross over large or small numbers of anime, some characters' personalities can change due to their interactions with characters from another series, so some deviations cannot be avoided.

Regardless, I'm very much aware that this fic has met with some rather intense negativity in the last several days. At present, my time for fic writing is scarce at best, so I don't have a lot of free time to produce these pieces, and the more offensive reviews I see, the more my confidence drops.

I'm not saying don't review if you want to say you're disappointed in me or my work. If you want me to change something or try to do better, just be mature about it and ask me instead of saying you "might get cancer from this" or calling it a "literary massacre" or an "assassination of common writing." It's very hurtful, and I don't think anyone would want to hear that. I'm open to criticism, but not insults.

If you think I copped out (like I think Random House did with the later volumes of Negima!), then say that and I'll do something about it.

When I review someone else's work, even if I'm not happy with it, I try to encourage them and propose an improvement or two, not insult them or their work. I'd rather keep that to myself.

I don't want to delete any reviews, so please don't give me a reason to. Furthermore, PLEASE DON'T INSULT MY READERS OR THEIR TASTES! If you want to take a jab at me, then fine, but what my readers read is their choice and they must NOT be criticized for it!

In future, I will try to restore and maintain the quality I once had in this fic, but while I work to accomplish that, please consider these words.

Otherwise, this fic may be doomed to join the scores of many other mass x-overs that died before their time, and I already have several ideas for the final battle that I'd rather not have to abandon.


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